


Three Years

by beezlebubz



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angry Zuko (Avatar), Avatar Cycle, Avatar State, Avatar Zuko (Avatar), Ba Sing Se, Bending (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Fire Nation (Avatar), Fire Nation Royal Family, Gay Panic, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Multi, There Is No War In Ba Sing Se, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko's Scar (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26088076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beezlebubz/pseuds/beezlebubz
Summary: (Avatar: The Last Airebender Avatar Zuko AU)The Avatar Cycle is said to have been broken at the begining of the Hundered-Year-War whenever the last Avatar died trying to protect the Airbenders from being slaughtered.  People have lost hope for world peace as the Firenation rages on.Zuko, however, is convinced that the Avatar does exist as he had spent the past few years searching to no avail.  Only during a terrifying tropical storm does he come to a shocking realization that his theory was correct all along.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Jet/Zuko (Avatar), Jin/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 64
Kudos: 304





	1. Deluge

**Author's Note:**

> I really adore the Avatar Zuko AU, I think it's such an interesting concept lol
> 
> Also this has probably been done before, but it was fun to write
> 
> I'll write more for it if this blows up idk
> 
> TW: talk of drowning, implied child abuse (it's Zuko, duh)

It was quiet.

A bitter cold wind blew gently through the prince's pheonix tail, nipping annoyingly at the jarring red scar across the left side at his face as he stared out over the dark horizon. The prince thought about nothing and everything as he leaned against the railing, scanning for any small sight of land despite his crew.

The boy was young, no older than sixteen as he took in the all-too-familiar sight of the ocean before him. Clad in red armor native to the nation he once called home as he let out a bit of a sigh.

Three years.

It had been three years he was out at sea, sailing the whole world five times over in hopes that he could find something. Three years of failure and three years of sick determination in search of the person who would be his ticket back home. 

He was searching for the next Avatar. Master of all four elements. 

The last Avatar--an Earthbender by the name of Kai Li--was executed by the Fire nation, marking what would only be the beginning of the Hundred Year War. Legend says that because the Avatar was rumored to have been killed in the Avatar State, the cycle was broken and the bridge between mankind and spirits was gone forever.

But the prince knew that somewhere, the Avatar was alive.

Whether they are the same person or another reincarnation, they have to still be out there.

But this job proved harder than it seemed. Because, well, if the Avatar was still out there, he or she was either unaware of it or in hiding.

Even someone on the prince's ship could be the master of all elements and not even realize it. And that thought drove the teenager mad.

Because it was his job, his only hope, his purpose, to find the next Avatar and execute them once and for all. His last chance to redeem himself and his honor and return home as a hero to his nation.

And then, finally, his father would call him son again.

"Prince Zuko."

The boy, Zuko, jumped slightly at the sound of his uncle. The man behind him was a retired general of the Fire nation, and a close ally of Zuko's. General Iroh had chosen to accompany the prince on his journey, after getting the throne practically stolen from him by his younger brother--Zuko's father.

The prince sighed, turning back to face the crashing waves as snow began to flutter down onto the ship. "What is it, Uncle?"

"We've crossed into Southern Water tribe territory, but there's a storm brewing to the East..." The man explained, approaching the young teenager as he navigated through the dark to reach the bow of the ship. "We should dock the ship as soon as possible and get everyone into shelter."

Zuko's tired eyes narrowed as his freezing hands gripped the railing a little tighter. "This ship will stop sailing when I command it to." He protested, "I have to be close to finding the Avatar...I can feel it. I won't rest until he or she is found."

Iroh frowned. The General had tried almost all he could to get through to his nephew that, maybe, there was no hope to find what he had been searching for. Zuko's banishment had been an opportunity for Iroh to free not only himself, but to perhaps help Zuko see all the wrong his ancestors had done to his nation.

But, still, even as he spent three years at sea watching his Nephew slowly slip into insanity searching for someone who didn't exist; Iroh would not give up.

The general let out a long breath, shaking his head. "Prince Zuko, if we continue sailing...me, you, and this entire crew will all, surely, drown."

"A true warrior would push through anything to get what he's fighting for."

"If your father has taught you anything, it's that a warrior should know his limits to his power and strength," Iroh argued. "We both know that."

Still, the Prince didn't budge, ignoring his uncle's reasoning as he stared out over the horizon, his scowl deepening at the mention of his father.

After all, Iroh wasn't wrong.

His father did teach him that lesson.

And left a bright, ugly scar across his face to make sure he wouldn't forget it.

"You know..." The General hesitated, figuring it had to be said some time soon. "And I don't mean to discourage you...but the rumors could be true. What you're searching for could be long gone and the Avatar Cycle could be broken."

It was that statement that finally caused the banished prince's narrow eyes to meet his uncle's, his heart rate picking up as he glared at the older man. "The Avatar is alive. They have to be! Why else would father send me out to find them and prove my worth?"

"He didn't banish you so that you could find the Avatar, Prince Zuko. You can't even legally enter Fire nation Territory." The General frowned. "Your father set you up for failure, why can't you see that?"

With a growl and a flash of heat from the prince's fists, Zuko snapped fully around to face his uncle. "I will find the Avatar! If you don't think he doesn't exist, then why did you come with me to begin with?!"

The older man stayed calm, his eyebrows furrowing as he was face-to-face with his nephew. His burning orange eyes flashing with a dangerous mixture of fury and despair. But even with the years of pent-up rage and frustration clouding Zuko's expression--the old man could see many similarities between the boy and someone he lost years ago.

Lu Ten.

Iroh felt grief grab at his heart. He would not let his past failures as a father then effect his drive to be a better father now.

After all, he was all Zuko had.

"You're exhausted," The man stated, quieting his voice as he rested a freezing hand on the prince's even colder armor. "Come on, it's getting late. Could you at least come inside and get some rest?"

Zuko blinked, the rage in his expression subsiding as he knew better than to engage in a fight with his uncle. He let out a long sigh, relaxing again as he got his breathing under control and rubbed his face. 

No matter how angry the prince got, Iroh never snapped back at Zuko.

He wasn't sure if he was grateful for it or if it infuriated him.

"Fine." 

...

Wind howled against the metal of the ship as Zuko found himself tossed awake by the sheer sound itself. He blinked in the darkness, the dizzying tossing and turning of the vessel making it hard to stay upright as he quickly lit all the torches in the room to try and get a grasp on what was happening.

The ship jerked suddenly backwards, causing the prince to let out a yelp as he was sent downwards onto the floor. His heart hammered in his chest as he used the wall to keep himself upright, pushing his body over to his bedroom door as he swung it open.

His crew buzzed about in the hallways, racing back and forth and shouting orders left and right as Zuko shouted, "What's going on?!"

"Prince Zuko!" A soldier skidded to a holt in front of the teenager, his expression frantic as the ship lurched again. "We've been hit with a storm! Everyone's struggling to get the boat docked before--"

"Where's uncle?!"

The solider swallowed heavily, bracing against the wall as the ship rocked beneath their feet, he followed the prince as they navigated down the narrow hallways, "the main deck redirecting the lightning, sir! He sent me down to get you!"

Blinding, stinging sleet and rain immediately pelted the young prince's face as he steadied himself and held an arm to shield his face. Wind whipped at his robes as he frantically glanced around, the ship groaning and rocking as waves crashed into the sides of the vessel--sending ocean spray and gallons of water onto the deck.

Orders were being shouted left and right, people slipping in the icy water as they struggled to keep the sails under control and the water out of the vessel.

It was complete and udder chaos.

Zuko watched as a particularly strong gust of wind whipped a man off his feet, sending a sail rope flying as the prince quickly jumped up to grab it only to slip and get launched aside by a wave hitting the ship.

The prince grunted against the railing as he used all his strength to pull at the rope, keeping the sail steady as he kept his feet from slipping.

"Turn East! Turn East!"

"Steering won't work! These waves are too strong!"

"Just focus on keeping everything steady!" Iroh's voice cut through all the noise, "All we can do is wait it out!"

Zuko's hands burned from the wet rope as he struggled to keep hold on it, using all the strength he could as his muscles screamed for rest. He couldn't hold on much longer.

And as if on cue, the ship rocked again as a wave slammed against the starboard. The prince was finally swept away off his feet as he fell, tumbling before his back hit the railing.

Zuko let out a yell as he tried to get a hold of the slippery railing and failed, but a hand caught a hold of his before he could fall and surely drown.

He looked up at Iroh, his breathing frantic as his golden eyes flashed with relief. Iroh's grip on his nephew's wrist only tightened as the old man pulled him back onboard, and the prince collapsed onto the floor as the adrenaline wore off. He took a moment to collect himself before looking back over at his uncle.

Zuko smiled the tiniest of smiles and nodded a thank you.

The moment was short-lived, however, when a series of terrified screams emitted from the ship's crew. People rushing away and staring on in complete horror at something approaching from the bow of the ship.

"Tsunami!"

"Brace yourselves!"

A dark mass of a wave swelled at the horizon, a black gush of water only highlighted by the lightning that flashed across the sky. Zuko stared on in horror as he slowly rose to his feet.

There was no surviving this.

"Everybody stay calm!" Iroh shouted, "grab ahead of something! Don't fall!"

The mass of water only got bigger as the banished prince's heart rate escalated even further, the ship rose under his feet as the wave got closer and closer and closer...Zuko didn't even have time to think before the wave was on top of them.

There were no screams of peril.

No thunder.

No pounding rain and ice.

There was, however, silence.

The tsunami got closer until it was just barely above the ship, and everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Maybe, this was for the best.

Maybe this was his destiny.

He did say he would find the Avatar, or die trying.

He felt his bleeding hands shakily let go of the railing.

Maybe...Iroh was right.

Maybe this was what his father wanted.

For his failure of a son to drown silently at sea, while the war raged on in some uncertain part of the world.

Maybe...

No.

He had been at sea for three years, he couldn't give up now.

He had to be close!

An energy filled his body that he couldn't explain, a powerful strength filled his muscles as he almost instinctively assumed a battle position.

Iroh watched as his nephew's eyes glowed a blinding white, and an overwhelming calmness washed over the prince. He felt as if he was no longer controlling his own body as he took a deep breath in, slowly raising his arms above his head.

He heard his uncle yell out his name in confusion, but the prince didn't comply.

Instead, Zuko let out a battle cry as he hands swung in a swift downwards motion, just as the surge of seawater was about to slam down onto the bow.

The wave split in half. Just nearly grazing the ship as the vessel was surrounded by saltwater.

But not a drop touched the metal surface, or any of the crew as the rushing water completely avoided everything, like wind flowing over and past an airship.

The ship rocked and groaned as the wave passed and it settled calmly back into the water. The rain dulled down to a gentle sprinkle as the pink of the sun just barely started to show on the horizon.

It was over.

All that strength from before left Zuko with the tsunami, and his knees buckled from under him.

It was silent.

Iroh as well as the ship's crew stared at Zuko with complete shock.

Nobody knew what to say, nobody knew what to do.

And neither did Zuko. He fought the urge to faint as he took a moment to settle the dizziness in his skull, and he pushed himself some-what upright again as he turned to face his stunned men.

Iroh stood at the front, his mouth agape and his eyes unblinking as they flashed with a swirling mix of emotions.

Fear?

Hope?

Joy?

Anger?

He knew what they were all going to say. The word hung in the atmosphere, suffocating the prince and rendering him just as speechless and confused as the rest of them.

Zuko stared down at his injured hands in disbelief. 

Spirits above...

He was the Avatar.

He was the Avatar all along. Those three years he spent chasing someone he thought he could catch, three years of searching and anger and killing...wasted.

Iroh took a step closer, "Nephew--"

Before he could even think it all through, the prince turned abruptly. He sprinted down the metal bow before jumping and launching himself off the railing. Iroh's panicked voice could be heard behind him, but the old man was too late to grab him.

Zuko braced himself as he hit the water with a loud splash, and with a firm kick, he tensed as propelled himself far, far away. Speeding through the water.

He needed away from everything.

He need to think.

He needed to be alone.

For a long, long time.


	2. Freedom Fighters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> idiot meets himbo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp, y'all wanted another chapter, so here it is! :0
> 
> I've got chapters 1-4 pretty much planned, so I do plan on continuing this as a book!!! (ty for all the support on the first chapter btw <3)
> 
> hope u enjoy
> 
> TW: talk of near-drowning

Well...this was certainly unexpected.

The world seemed to tilt and sway around Zuko as his eyes slowly blinked open, his vision blurry and his head throbbing as he stared at the unfamiliar wood ceiling. 

He sucked in a breath, pain filling his lungs like he had suddenly been stabbed in the chest. The prince doubled over onto his side--coughing up what could only be remnants of sea water into a bucket placed conveniently at his side. Zuko let out a few shaky breaths and wiped his mouth on his sleeve, the pain finally easing as he looked up to examine his surroundings.

The small hut he was kept in was obviously poorly built, the boards beneath him creaked with every one of Zuko's movements--but somehow, it still held under his weight. He was layed down on a few blankets, and some clean clothes as well as a small plate of food sat towards the edge of the room.

Where in the Spirits was he?

He pressed a now-bandaged hand to the wall as he slowly stood to his feet, holding his breath as the pain seemed to escalate with every little movement.

First, the Prince went for the clothes. Wanting to get out of Fire nation regalia as soon as humanly possible. He took his time in taking his shirt off, not wanting to disturb his wounds.

Bandages snaked across almost his entire chest, constricting his breathing but not to the point of it being uncomfortable. He must have broken a rib when he fell against the ship.

Fantastic.

Another misfortune to add to his pile of awful luck. Right next to losing everyone he had ever loves and being the Avatar.

He sighed, collecting the robes off the ground as he changed into new clothes. They were warmer--obviously worn Earth Kingdom clothes--but they were loose and easy to fight in. Zuko couldn't complain.

After eating a small amount of the food left for him, the prince exited the small tree house, cautiously climbing down the ladder as he avoided eye contact with any other curious passerbies.

A thin blanket of snow covered the ground as Zuko landed on his feet, letting out a breath as he gazed around the forest scape.

This was the first time he had been on land for more than a few minutes in a long time.

Too long of a time.

"You're awake."

Zuko turned a little too fast for his lack of strength and ended up flinching into himself, letting out a quiet string of curses as he wrapped his arms around the sharp pain in his chest. He went to grab for a sword only to see they were not at his sides, and he turned to glare at the stranger.

The teenager before him was a little taller than he was, his arms crossed over his legs and an amused smirk across his tan face, a fire crackling in front of him. His hair was a dark brown, and it stuck up in every direction as if it hadn't been brushed in weeks. A piece of straw hung loosely from his mouth. "I assume you're looking for these?" The stranger held the sheath for his two blades, waving them slightly in the air.

Zuko didn't budge, his hands balling into fists as he stayed alert.

He couldn't trust anyone.

The man hummed, "don't talk much, eh?" He sighed slightly, his hand reaching up to take the straw from his mouth as he set the swords down next to him. "Come on over, you must be cold."

The banished prince glanced around the small area, that seemed to be buzzing with...kids? Most of which younger than he was as they did about their business, talking and giving him suspicious looks as they walked past.

Zuko couldn't help but feel awkward, after all, he stuck out like a sore thumb with these people.

And, obviously, just by the side-glances he was getting, he could tell some of them were suspicious that he wasn't from this nation.

Tree houses were everywhere, all of them almost exactly like the one he had awoken in. Ladders and ropes hung down from the skeleton-like trees that loomed above, a few colorful late-autumn leaves still clutching onto them for dear life.

Hesitantly, Zuko crossed his legs as he sat across from the stranger at the campfire, catching the swords as they were thrown to him and resting them back on the ground at his side.

"One of my Freedom Fighters found you unconscious and injured at the shore." The boy explained, pouring some tea into two cups next to him before handing one of them to Zuko. "We pulled you in and you've been sleeping for almost three days...we were beginning to think you were done for. You're very strong to have pulled through with an injury like that...it should heal up nicely, too."

Zuko avoided the other teenager's gaze as he stared into the steaming cup. He blinked, unsure of what to make of this whole situation.

He remembered waking up on the beach, drenched and freezing as he stumbled up the shore and collapsed into a shivering mess just past the treeline. He remembered how every little breath he took burned in his chest and how he could just barely find the energy to make a fire for that night.

He remembered the hours he spent staring at the makeshift campfire in the dark, hugging himself as he, still, couldn't quite process what had occurred the night he left the ship.

Oh, damn it, the ship!

His grip on the stone cup tightened as his eyebrows furrowed together.

Zuko had abandoned his ship...his crew...his uncle...what was he thinking?! If only he had listened to Iroh and docked the ship before the storm none of this would've happened!

He wouldn't be stuck in the middle of fuck-knows-where in some strange peasant village, freezing his ass off while the Avatar was still out there...breathing and walking and--

Oh.

That's right.

He was the Avatar now.

He swallowed heavily, forcing his anger down as he willed himself not to start bending out of pure frustration and confusion.

His hand trailed up his head to where his pheonix tail would've been--he must have already cut it off after washing on the beach.

Well, at least that was one less thing to worry about.

"I'm Jet, by the way." The stranger smiled a little, "normally when strangers roll in I interrogate them before they join, but, I suppose it must hurt for you to talk."

"I'm not staying." Zuko finally spoke, flinching at how hoarse and unused his own voice sounded. Jet was right, even breathing hurt tremendously, but he would press through the pain. "Thanks, but I don't need your help."

"Really?" Jet snorted, "going out on your own in that state is practically a death sentence. Especially with those Ash-Makers patrolling these woods."

"Ash-Makers?"

Jet scowled a bit, glaring out past the forest as he lifted the cup to down the rest of the liquid inside, "fire nation soldiers. We've raided dozens of their camps...but they just keep coming. Luckily, they have no idea of our hideout." Jet pointed upwards at the brilliantly camouflaged group of tree houses.

Zuko hummed, looking back down to the tea in his hands. 

He frowned deeply as he found that there was nothing more that he wanted than his uncle's tea, despite the fact that he had only really been gone a few days. He wasn't sure he could stand drinking it without feeling an incredible guilt.

Iroh must be so angry with him.

Damn it. 

"But what about you?" Jet piped up again, "how'd you end up here?"

"I..." His throat tightened up, his heart rate quickening as his mouth opened and closed again. He took in a breath and swallowed heavily, his grip on the cup tightening again, "well--"

"No no, wait." Jet held a hand up to silence Zuko, before sending him what could be considered a half-smile, "if you're not ready...you don't have to talk about it. I won't make you."

Zuko found himself relaxing again, managing a small nod as his gaze traveled to the ground once more. "I just need to be alone." He stated, "I need to think."

"I understand. Trust me...take as long as you need." He frowned, pushing himself to his feet. "I'm sure you've been through a lot these past few days. You're free to stay if you like, but I won't force you."

Zuko's thumb traced the edge of the cup as he stared intently at the ground.

Jet stepped away from the fire, stretching his arms as he let out a yawn, "me and my team are leaving for a supply hunt tomorrow at sunrise...if you choose to stay, I'd like you to join us. Oh, wait...I don't think I ever got your name?"

Zuko finally looked up again, his tired, orange eyes flashing with a violent mix of emotions. His bandaged hands ran together as he quickly thought up a name, "it's Lee." He answered, "call me Lee."

···

Zuko decided to stay that night.

Just for a night, to get his thoughts in order.

His sleep was plagued with nightmares. Violent, confusing, vivid dreams including everything from his complicated past to his complicated future. Everytime he fell asleep, he woke up in a panic. The night seemed to drag on for hours, but, it wasn't forever.

Iroh's words the night of the storm, however, filled his mind as Zuko awoke with sunrise. 

"A true warrior would know his limits in power and strength."

His hand drifted to his chest, still finding it extraordinarily hard to breathe as he grunted. 

Maybe Uncle was right.

He should lay low until he was okay enough to press on.

So, Zuko joined Jet on his mission. A small supply raid on a fire nation camp just a few miles from the hideout. Though Jet was obviously an enemy to his nation--the prince had to admire his fighting tactics. Waiting patiently and silently in the trees for the perfect moment to attack, and taking them from behind.

The supply run was successful. They distracted and drove off the soldiers, leaving the camp abandoned and empty with loads of times to gather what they needed.

But as Zuko shifted through a bag of miscellanious things in hopes to find some extra First-Aid or weapons; he found something else.

A breath left his mouth as something blue caught his eye in the dark of the bag; smooth and made of a strange wood material with a black strap around the back of it.

Carefully, he pulled the object out.

It was a mask. A theater mask.

Primarily blue, with white, sharp teeth carved into it with an angry expression. Zuko ran his thumb over the carvings as many forgotten childhood memories flooded his mind. Memories of Ember Island, memories of when his family was happy and his honor was simply an afterthought.

A Blue Spirit mask.

An exact replica of the one his mother uses to have.

"Find somethin' interesting?" Jet asked, as Zuko felt the other's breath on his ear and he flinched slightly.

Zuko didn't answer for a second, too shocked by suddenly revived part of his childhood. "No." He shook his head and dropped it back into the bag. "Just thought it looked familiar."

It was already approaching dusk by the time they were walking back--it seemed the days were getting shorter each time the sun rose. The trekk was mostly silent as they walked, but there was something Zuko had been burning to ask.

"I don't get it." The prince suddenly blurted, slicing from branches away from his sword as he pulled a bag further up onto his back. "The Fire nation wants to spread it's rule all over the world in order to bring peace. Why are you attacking them?"

Jet froze, his eyebrows raised in disbelief as he turned to look at the prince, shaking his head, "heh, right." He half-laughed, the smidge of an accent edging at his voice as he scoffed. Though his voice and expression were dripping with venom, "wiping out entire cultures in search of the Avatar and killing thousands of innocent people could hardly be considered 'peaceful.'"

"The Avatar was a direct threat to the Fire lord," Zuko argued. "It had to be done."

"Do you even hear yourself right now?" Jet suddenly raised his voice, his expression laced with disbelief as he turned, fully, to face the prince. His tired brown eyes flashed with anger. "So you think the complete genocide of the Air Nomads was justified just because Fire lord Ozai needed to execute one person?"

Zuko backed up slightly, suddenly rendering himself speechless. Fuck. He was going to give himself away if he kept talking. His hands balled into fists as he held his anger down, taking a deep breath as he forced himself not to shout back.

Jet looked at Zuko, squinting slightly as he narrowed his eyes. His face held suspicion, and Zuko found himself swallowing heavily as the Freedom Fighter dropped his things and approached the prince.

Zuko mentally cursed. If he was going to stay under cover...he needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut.

"The fire nation killed my parents." Jet explained. "They were killed because your beloved Fire lord Ozai was getting impatient while trying to infiltrate Ba Sing Se. A general burned down my village in the process." Jet scowled, his face inches away from Zuko as the prince felt his breath on his face. "And for that I'll make sure every Fire nation native that crosses my path pays for what they've done."

Zuko stood up a little straighter as he didn't dare give Jet the satisfaction of seeming scared. His grip on his bag of stolen supplies tightened as he glared right back into Jet's angry eyes.

And just like that, Jet had grabbed the front of Zuko's shirt and pushed him against a nearby tree. The prince let out a grunt as his chest flooded with a bright-hot pain...though he recovered quickly. Jet brought his face a little too close to Zuko's again.

"So tell me, Lee." He sneered, the piece of straw brushing annoyingly across Zuko's face as his hold on Zuko's tunic tightened. "What exactly is a Fire nation fugitive doing in the Earth Kingdom?"

Zuko sprung into action, struggling to rip himself away from Jet's grip before he took in a breath and blew a puff of fire at the male. Jet yelped, flinching backwards as his piece of straw shriveled from the heat and Zuko kicked him away.

Grabbing two supply bags and sending another quick fire blast towards the trees--the prince sprinted off. Running blindly into the forest with Jet on his tail.

Bird signals echoed into the trees as Zuko realized that he couldn't outrun these people, Freedom Fighters filled the forest as a moment of dread filled Zuko's body with adrenaline--

They were prepared for this.

He wasn't.

But Zuko wouldn't go down that easily.

The prince turned forwards only to slide to an immediately holt. He let out a few yelps as he slid off an almost invisible cliff, barely managing to grab onto a tree root and hold on for dear life. 

His breathing was heavy as his legs dangled above the trees below--his other hand tightly holding onto the stolen supplies as the other frantically held onto the tree root.

Pebbles slid down the cliff underneath him as he held his breath.

Shit shit shit.

As if on cew, Jet's relaxed footsteps could be heard as they approached. He stood on the thin overhang of land holding Zuko's weight by a literal thread as the other teenager placed a foot on the loose land.

Still, Zuko's expression held only anger.

The prince growled, "you bastard! You knew!"

"Of course I knew." Jet sneered, "you washed up in Ash-Maker clothes, after all."

"You'll pay for this! You Earth Kingdom assholes are all the same!"

Jet scoffed, putting more pressure on the cliff as the branch threatened to snap. Zuko felt a surge of panic. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Finally, the tree root snapped, and Zuko let out a yell as he was sent flailing in mid-air before hitting the edge of the cliff, sending him tumbling back into the trees.


	3. The Blue Spirit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the begining of Redemption Arc Hours™ for your favorite fire nation dumbass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: occasional talk of suicide, starvation mention

"Iroh, sir...what do you suggest we do now?"

It was a question Iroh must have been asked one hundred times since Zuko's impulsive escape, and one that even he couldn't exactly answer.

He worried for his nephew, that was obvious. Zuko was by far the most unpredictable and unstable teenager he had ever known other than the boy's own sister, and there were only three things Iroh could ever see Zuko doing upon this new realization.

The first one was possibly the best outcome, one where the teenager would come to realize he would never win his father's love, and start to pave his own destiny as the Avatar. A decision that would, surely, help the world back to it's original state of balance.

The second was that he went back to the Fire nation and presented his father with his newly-found power, only to likely be used as a weapon to finally win the war. Just the very thought made Iroh's heart sink to his stomach.

The third was arguably the worst in Iroh's opinion. That in a fit of confusion and self-hatred Zuko had offed himself in the ocean that night, having passed the burden of being the Avatar in this world to yet another unlucky soul as he disappeared into the water.

Nevertheless, the only thing Iroh could do would be to have hope that his nephew would pull through, and eventually choose the right destiny.

The retired general let out a long sigh, gazing up at the towering, metal ship docked in front of him. "I suppose the only thing we can do would be to head out and find Zuko as soon as the ship's repairs are completed."

"...and after that?" The man continued, turning to look up at the battleship as he shared the same look of dread as the elder beside him.

Iroh swallowed heavily, "I don't know." He stated, "it's up to Zuko to decide what happens to him next, and whatever he decides...we just need to hope it's the right choice."

"Think he could've washed up on land by now?"

"I don't know."

Iroh had always known Zuko as sickly determined. Once the impulsive teenager put his mind to something; nothing could stop him. If the prince wanted to stay alive, he would be when his uncle found him again.

"General Iroh...well, it's certainly been a long time since I've seen your ship on my docks."

Iroh turned at the familiar voice to see an even more familiar man approaching him. He was about middle-aged, his slightly-graying hair pinned back in a tight, traditional top-knot. 

Captain Zhao was someone Iroh had known well during his time as a general, the man had worked under him ever since he first arose as a navy captain in Fire lord Azulon's army. He was the perfect Fire nation soldier in all the wrong ways; vain and desperate to claw and bite his way to power. Iroh had once considered the man a friend, but now as he watched Zhao's eyes flicker with contempt, he wasn't sure they were on the same side anymore.

Iroh frowned a little--hopefully, he would be wrong. "Captain Zhao...it's been a long time."

"It's Commander Zhao, now." He crossed his arms, his gaze looking up to meet the ship behind the retired general, "that was quite a storm you've sailed through...I'm surprised this tiny ship managed to make it through."

"Yeah. It was." Iroh let out a breath. "But thanks to our very capable crew members, we managed to pull through without loosing anyone."

Zhao raised a brow, "without loosing anyone, hm?" He repeated to himself, before his gaze scanned the area. "Say...where's your nephew? I've been wanting to talk to him about his progress in finding the Avatar."

"I'm afraid he's...busy at the moment." Iroh stated, bluntly as he lied through his teeth. "Busy in the Earth Kingdom, that is."

"The Earth Kingdom?" Zhao and the crew member both said at once, confusion lacing their tone as they looked quizzically at the elder. The commander hummed, bringing a hand to his chin, "I thought you said you didn't lose anyone?"

"Well..." Iroh cleared his throat, "during the storm he ended up stranded there...we intend to get repairs done and leave as soon as possible in order to retrieve him."

"...Right," Zhao clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze suspicious as he sent a subtle glare towards Iroh, "I suppose that means you haven't found anything on the Avatar then, correct?"

Iroh froze up a little. If there was one thing the older man was awful at--it was lying. He thought for a minute, obviously screwing himself over with his previous contradiction.

"No, we haven't."

"Did you really expect to?" He sneered, "the Avatar died one-hundred years ago, along with those useless air benders she was protecting."

Iroh exchanged a small glance with the crew member beside him, keeping his gaze alert and trying to hide any panic. He knew what Zhao was trying to do.

"Unless..." The commander continued, leaning down to Iroh's height, "you're hiding something from me, General Iroh."

"We aren't hiding anything." Iroh's voice was stern, "we simply just want to get back to the Earth Kingdom as soon as possible."

"Commander Zhao." Another armored Fire nation solider approached, earning the attention of the middle-aged commander as he turned to face the unfamiliar man. "We've finished interrogating Iroh's crew like you asked. They all say the same thing...that Zuko saved the ship with the Avatar State before deserting. The crew says they all suspect he died in the storm."

"The Avatar state?" Zhao echoed, his brow raising in shock as a chuckle left his mouth. "Well, spirits above..." He turned to send an unsettling glare towards Iroh. "It appears your beloved nephew is a lot more than he let on."

...

Zuko kept his distance, skillfully taking cover in the trees as his determined gaze never left the footprints he was tracking. He could hear his breathing, annoyingly loud against the mask tightly strapped to his face as he grasped the swords at his sides.

It had been about a week since his unfortunate encounter with Jet, and he had managed to get along fine on his own since falling down the side of the cliff. 

After trekking his way out of the woods and finding himself approaching the endless deserts and forests of the Earth Kingdom, he began to notice how different things were from the Fire nation.

Before long, he managed to steal an Ostrich Horse and gather more supplies with the little money he had found in Jet's supply bags. He would travel until sundown and then sleep somewhere quiet, repeating this until the days seemed to run together.

Zuko remembered standing on another beach he had come across, his still-healing chest emitting a dull throb of exertion as he watched the sun set over the water. He must have been standing there for an hour...staring out over the vast ocean as the tides pushed and pulled gently at his feet.

He thought of vacations on Ember Island, chasing his younger sister around as they both reenacted the plays their mother would take them to watch. He remembered the laughing, the severe absence of his father, his uncle...

His mother.

Zuko could've jumped back into the water then if he wanted...ending it all. Passing the burden of being the Avatar onto yet another unfortunate soul who just happened to be born the same time he took his final breath. He seriously thought about it. After all, it would benefit everyone.

His father would get what he wanted.

Iroh would no longer have to worry for him.

No more pain.

No more war.

Just eternal darkness.

But instead, he just felt a burning sensation across his face as he turned his head. Inhaling sharply as he furiously pushed the tears away. The sand below him sizzled with heat as he furiously pressed his palms into his eyes.

He turned his head up and screamed at the sky. Cursing whatever spirits caused his life to be this awful. Cursing his father, his mother, his sister...

He didn't know why he didn't jump then. Whether it was the past Avatars finally starting to show themselves and reason to him within his mind, or his own stubbornness as per usual.

But either way...

He was too scarred to die.

The prince had encountered many small civilizations on his travels; all of which far less fortunate than any village in the Fire nation. All struggling under the reign of his people.

All struggling to simply survive.

He saw himself in a small girl who was being chased by some other boys, her eyes wild with fear as she stumbled down the dirt pathway.

"Yeah, see!? Non-benders weren't meant to fight!"

"You'll never be strong enough! You won't even hit us back!"

"You'll never be lucky enough to be like your brother!"

Zuko's ears perked, and he turned just in time for the girl to bolt past him with her head bowed, and hide around the corner.

The boys laughed, mocking her before running back off in another direction, joking and resuming right back to whatever game they were playing that involved Earth Bending.

"I've always felt bad for that little girl." The shop keeper behind Zuko spoke with a sigh, "her older brother is off with his father, they went to Ba Sing Se to join the Earth Kingdom military years ago...and now she's all alone."

"And you didn't help her?" The prince questioned.

"Well...it's not my place." He stuttered in reply, "besides...I don't wanna get in trouble with the Ash-Makers."

The prince didn't answer, he felt his heart sink slightly before looking back in the direction the girl ran off to. He frowned, stepping towards the alleyway.

The girl was sitting against the wall, her head buried in her hands as she sobbed quietly--nearly concealed by the shadow of the building behind her.

He remembered how Azula used to pick on him for not being born with the same spark she had, and how Ozai constantly put him down for never being able to fire bend the way his sister could.

For she had a natural talent, and Zuko had only his determination to prove he was worth something.

"You shouldn't let them get to you, you know." He spoke out hesitantly, his voice echoing against the stone as the small brunette gasped and looked up--tears sparkling in her eyes. "Non-benders can be just as strong as benders."

She stared on for a minute, before wiping the tears from her eyes. "You...you think so?"

Zuko nodded, "I know so."

The girl looked down at her hands, sniffing one final time. "I...I'm tired of being underestimated. I can fight just as good as they can! If they'd just let me show them..."

Zuko didn't reply, opening one of his bags as he dug around it for a moment, before pulling out a small knife. Worn with age but still kept in great condition. He remembered, vividly, the day the gift from his uncle was given to him just days before Lu Ten was murdered in battle.

The banished prince knelt down in front of the girl, holding the knife out carefully for her. "Here."

At first, she gasped a little, staring up at Zuko with that very expression he had gotten from thousands of children and adults alike over the past few years. He had even still gotten it quite a lot from his crew.

The look someone gave him when they noticed his scar. But Zuko had learned not to acknowledge it; he had gotten used to the look of pity, the wonder in their expression as they always seemed to question how he lost that battle instead of why.

The girl looked back down at the knife. Pushing her long hair away from her face, she took it in both her hands. With a tug, she pulled the shiny blade carefully from its sheath and read the small inscription on the metal.

"Never give up without a fight."

She looked back up again to thank the kind stranger, but the teenager had vanished before she could.

Zuko pulled out one of his Duo swords as he could now hear someone in the darkness of the trees. He stayed light on his feet--trying not to make too much noise as he stepped through the woods as his gaze swept through the forest as he had done a million times.

The unknown stranger eventually caught his eye, rubbing their arms as they trotted calmly through the underbrush. A thin hood pulled tightly over their head as they carried a basket of miscellanious foods in one hand.

Zuko immediately drew in a breath, he had been without food for a few days now, and starvation was starting to stab at his stomach like a knife. 

He followed quietly behind them as they walked into the woods...confused on why someone like them would be out here without any weapons and not caring to be quiet in the slightest.

And the way they still had yet to sense Zuko's presence...

As if they felt they had absolutely no reason to be afraid of being out in the open.

Eventually, they came across a small pond, completely frozen over as the colorful autumn leaves almost concealed it from view. The ice reflected the trees and sky almost perfectly around it; as if it were a hole in the ground that led directly into the sky below.

It was, honestly, quite beautiful. Definitely something Zuko would never see back at his own home.

Quietly, he approached, sword in hand as he got closer and closer to the stranger, who whispered something under their breath about how cold it was getting.

Surely, it couldn't be this easy.

And...

Now!

Zuko dashed out of the bushes, quickly tripping the other teenager as they let out a yelp and he swiftly grabbed the basket and made a run for it.

But, once again, his own weakness from travelling on his own for so long betrayed him.

Zuko tripped over a tree root, letting out a gasp as he flailed his arms and was sling-shotted into a melty, stiff pile of snow. 

Landing right on his healing chest.

The prince stifled a cry of pain, instead groaning as he took in quick gasps of air. He didn't dare move until the blinding pain subsided enough for him to breath normally again, and he lay there, panting and shaky on the ground.

Damn it! Why was he always getting screwed over by trees?!

"Spirits...are you okay? That fall shouldn't have hurt you that bad..."

Zuko opened his eyes again as the darkness around the edges of his vision subsided, and his gaze looked up to meet a girl, who was kneeling down in front of him. Her green eyes flashed with wonder and confusion as she gazed at the mask tightly bound to his face.

The girl was his age, her black hair messy and a few strands fell from the hood concealing her head, her cheeks red from the bitter autumn cold. She held a curious expression as she suddenly reached a hand out to touch his mask. 

And just like that, Zuko snapped back to his senses.

Quickly, he jumped to his feet, grabbing a low branch as he sling-shotted himself into the air; quickly sprinting deep into the forest where his camp was usually set up.

"Hey, wait! I won't--!" The girl called after, before letting out a sigh as the stranger was already too far away. Her hands fell to her sides as she let out a bit of a sigh. "...--tell the Dai Li."

The brunette basked in the tranquil silence for a moment, snow starting to fall peacefully from above as she listened to the stranger's footsteps fade deep into the forest. A gentle gust of wind blew through her hair as she leaned down to collect what was supposed to be her dinner back into the basket.

She went to pick it up, but hesitated.

She glanced back up at the Stranger's footprints in the snow for a moment.

Before placing the basket in the hollow of a nearby tree.

Hopefully, he'd come back and find it.


	4. Jin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Face reveal

She left the food for him.

Zuko's gaze scanned the forest, the basket at his feet as he blinked in shock and confusion. It was freezing cold, the air nipped painfully at his exposed face as he contemplated whether or not this could be a trap.

After all, he could trust no one.

He took a few moments, nudging the basket with his foot as he waited for someone to jump out of the bushes; and ultimately end him. Or take him hostage. Or throw him in prison.

What if they knew he was the Avatar?

Or a firebender?

Or the heir to the Fire nation throne?

Nevertheless, it was silent. No one attacked, so soldiers stumbled out of the bushes--nothing. It was sort-of absurd.

Even though the prince probably should have left the food and continued on his own, his growling stomach soon got the better of him. He sighed, picking it up, before heading back to the little camp he had set up.

Two painfully cold nights later, he wondered back to the same pond to find more food sitting in the trunk of an old tree. Granted, it wasn't much, but Zuko still appreciated it none the less. 

This routine continued on for the next week.

And when she didn't leave food, or only left a bit, she would leave other useful things like bandages and blankets--one time even firewood.

One particularly cold afternoon, Zuko lay on the ground. His entire body seemed to be in a perpetual state of shaking as he tried again and again to use the breathing technique Iroh taught him years ago to stay warm; but to no avail.

Huddled against a tree trunk as the fire near him started to die out; he decided to get up and find more firewood before it got too dark out.

The prince hesitantly pulled himself to his feet, his breath clouding out into the air as he tied the blanket around his figure and pulled on his mask before retrieving one of his duo swords from his bag.

Off in his thoughts, Zuko trekked through the snow--collecting some small branches and twigs as he walked, the sun just barely starting to set off in the woods.

Before long, he realized his legs had subconsciously carried him to the pond. The water calm and delicately frozen, undisturbed. Just the exact way it had been the past week or so.

Curious, Zuko stepped towards the frozen water, catching his reflection in the ice as he gazed at his face.

Well...his mask.

His hair had started to grow out again. It was quite strange to see the entirety of his head now covered in jet-black hair, just barely long enough to run his hand through--which also felt strange.

A twig snapped behind him, echoing into the icy silence as Zuko whipped around--weapon drawn and ready to attack.

He was a bit shocked, however, to see the girl behind him. Letting out a yelp of surprise as she stumbled backwards against a tree, her gaze switching feverishly between Zuko and the tip of his blade.

A few moments of complete silence passed as the prince couldn't tear his gaze away from the brunette before him; her hood pulled up over her head and her breath clouding out into the air slightly.

She cleared her throat, pushing Zuko's blade down away from her neck with a finger, "uh...hey?"

Zuko lowered his weapon, but kept his mouth shut under the mask. He let out a small breath of relief before he turned away.

"Wait! Don't go yet!"

The prince froze again, pursing his lips together as his fists clenched to hide his shivering. He turned to face the girl again.

"I just-- well--I-I'm--" she sighed, frustrated with her own stuttering before she collected herself again. "I just wanted to see if I could find you again. To see you in person, I mean. You've worked up quite a reputation in Ba Sing Se for...y'know...stealing from new comers."

Zuko furrowed his brow. Ba Sing Se? Had he really traveled that far?

The girl seemed to flush a bit, embarrassed by the awkward first encounter as she rubbed the back of her neck and held out her usual basket. "I'm Jin, by the way." She said, "everyone's been calling you the Blue Spirit...so, I guess that's what I should call you?"

Zuko gave her a small nod, hesitantly reaching out before taking the basket in his hands. He looked back up again.

She smiled warmly, "you didn't need to try and rob me that first time, y'know...if you needed food that badly you could've just asked." 

Zuko had never really had second thoughts about stealing from any travelers who happened to cross his path.

But this girl...

Why was she being so nice to him?

Without expecting anything back?

He turned again, giving Jin one final glance as he backed away. She rubbed her arms in the cold.

Zuko stood there for a minute, studying her as he opened his mouth to talk before snapping it shut again. He didn't know what to say.

He nodded a 'thank you' before running off again.

The next day came.

And then a few more after that as Zuko meeting Jin by the pond became a normal thing for both of them. She would come to the water just about every day in order to bring food, she'd talk to him for a few minutes, and then they'd part ways.

This lasted for about five days, and Zuko found himself warming up to the girl. She never asked any questions about him or his past, and instead usually just told him small things about herself.

"You're a bit late today, Blue Spirit," she said one day, her eyes closed as she sat at the pond with her legs crossed; possibly meditating.

Zuko was careful as he stepped through a bush to the clearing; snow falling steadily in thick, fluffy snowflakes as he paused a few yards away from the girl he came to know as Jin. "It's Lee."

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice. Raspy, but deep and smooth. Quiet with under-use. He had pledged himself not to talk to her, in order to keep as low as a profile as possible.

But something in his instincts told him he was safe with this girl.

She was from Ba Sing Se, after all. He doubted she'd recognize him just by his voice.

"You can just call me Lee." He smiled a little under the mask as she blinked with shock, before she grinned. Zuko sat down where he was, still keeping a timid distance.

"So you can talk."

"What made you assume I didn't?"

"A lot of the people who come here from the outside are quiet." She answered, stretching after turning her body to face the banished prince. "My mother was a refugee, and she says it's because the outside world is a lot more dangerous than it seems, and a lot of people come here to be safe."

"Your mother is right." Zuko agreed, "I did try to rob you a few weeks ago, after all."

"But you didn't turn out so bad." She argued, a smile crossing her features. "Surely, it can't be that awful."

Zuko thought of all the destruction and war remnants he had walked past during his journey. The innocent people he met that were harmed in the war. He thought of Jet and everything he had gone through because of Zuko's people. The way Fire nation soldiers treated local civilians...

Was it possible, that maybe, he was on the wrong side of the war this whole time?

He dropped eye contact, "You have no idea."

...

"You don't need to wear that mask around me all the time, you know."

Jin's statement hung in the air as Zuko stared at the sky, his hands folded behind his head as he watched the clouds overhead grow pink with the setting sun.

He frowned a little. Yeah, sure, he had known Jin for a few weeks now, but...

With the mask on, people didn't look at his face with pity. They didn't stare, they didn't move to touch it with curiosity. 

He felt...

Powerful. Feared, even, with the mask on.

"I know." Zuko stated, a yawn escaping his throat as he shifted to be more comfortable. "I just...you won't like what's underneath."

Jim was silent for a moment before a small laugh left her mouth, "oh, don't be so dramatic." She sighed, turning to face the prince as she pushed some dark hair away from her eyes, "I'm sure it's not that bad."

Zuko shifted to face her, his eyes meeting her's as a quiet breeze filled the silence. He let out a small breath, the snow around his body beginning to melt a little as his heart rate picked up. "You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Another moment passed as neither of the teenagers moved, simply staring into eachother's eyes with anticipation.

Zuko flinched a little as Jin pushed herself up, and her hand moved to graze the side of his mask, her nail tapping slightly against the blue material.

She slowly moved to the back of the prince's head, working at the knot of the straps before it came loose.

She took the mask in both her hands, and Zuko closed his eyes as she slowly lifted it off his face.

Well, she didn't know what she expected.

He was attractive, that was for sure. His features were sharp and angular, with a bit of a boyishness still remaining. And his eyes were a deep amber, only highlighting the dark circle underneath his one good one. His scar was rough against his unusually pale skin, a blaring red mark almost shaped like a hand. It seemed to just barely nick his raven-colored hairline.

His hair was also short, which came to Jin as just as much as surprise as the scar. It was very peculiar to see anyone that wasn't a child with short hair. Well, at least in Ba Sing Se it was.

She knew then that there was positively no way the stranger before her was from around here, but still...she wasn't scarred.

Zuko, however, was.

The shock in her expression made his heart drop, and he thought he had been recognized. In a panic, he went to push himself up only to grunt and fall back down.

Shit.

He forgot about his injury.

"Oh, damn it..uh...I didn't mean to stare. My bad." She laughed awkwardly. Though, her expression fell again at how pale Zuko's face had gotten just then. "Are you...alright?"

"Fine." He said through clenched teeth, his eyes screwed shut as the pain passed. "It's nothing. Just an injury I got while...yeah."

"You should move into the city before the cold months roll in." Jin suggested, "you wouldn't have to steal from people anymore, or freeze out here all night in the snow. You could start a new life."

The offer was tempting. Really tempting.

There was only one thing holsing him back, and that was the fear of being found out. The fear of his father finally finishing the job he started when he scarred Zuko's eye to begin with.

He had a terrifying realization right then and there, one that made him drop his gaze and swallow heavily. His words were stuck in his throat.

He didn't want to go home,

Zuko looked up again, "I..." He murmured, his expression frantic as he took a minute to take a deep breath.

"I'll think about it."


	5. Black and Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Idiot sneaks into Ba Sing Se

Right, so...this was really happening.

It was hard to imagine that accidentally bending water once led the prince up to this point; laying uncomfortably on a wagon to try and sneak onto the ferry to get into the most secure city in the entire world.

Spirits know what he was going to do once he actually got into the walled city, but, that was up to future Zuko to figure out.

Not that Future Zuko was very good at handling much of anything, from past experience.

Right then, he was just focusing on not crying out in pain or cursing loudly everytime they hit a bump on the trail. His rib was still broken, after all. Having refused to lay low until it healed correctly.

But before he knew it; he was aboard the ferry. 

The boat rocked beneath his feet as he took cover behind some boxes on the lower deck; and he almost felt safe again. If he tried hard enough, he could imagine himself back on the ship with Iroh.

It was amazing the things he took forgranted, then.

He only hoped that Iroh didn't hate him now, though he thought it was highly likely. Zuko regretted leaving the moment he woke up in Jet's tree house.

Damn...speaking of Jet.

Zuko pressed himself against the boxes as much as possible, the familiar Earth Kingdom teenager's boots clicked against the ground as he stepped onto the wood of the floor.

The prince held his breath as he watched Jet walk behind him, and two other sets of footsteps soon followed.

"What's your plan if we get caught, Jet?" The girl Zuko knew as Smellerbee whispered, following closely behind her companion. 

The prince spotted a barrel to his left--a small puddle of something leaking out of it onto the floor.

Zuko took in a breath, raising his hand as he focused all his energy on the water. And with a small movement of his hand, it emitted a quiet creak as a little more water started to spill out of the hole.

For the first time since the incident during the storm, he was waterbending.

Still, it kind-of terrified him.

Jet stayed silent for a minute, pausing as his foot shifted to face Zuko's little hiding spot. "We won't get caught, here." The teenager answered, "it's Ba Sing Se, after all. They're on our side of the war. All we have to worry about now is making sure we're not getting caught by the crew."

Zuko cursed, sinking lower against the floor as his hand tightly gripped the sword at his waist. His heart hammered in his chest as the group of Freedom Fighters split up to raid the crates of the small ship. He, quickly, got back to bending the water out of the barrel...just a little more.

Damn Earth Kingdom citizens.

Always lying and stealing their way through everything.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, when an arrow collided with the crate behind him. Zuko gasped and launched himself to his feet, facing his attacker--another freedom fighter by the name of Longshot as the teenager quickly loaded his next arrow.

"Hey!"

Jet shouted, drawing his hook-blades and immediately launching himself at Zuko. 

Metal collided with metal as Zuko quickly blocked all of Jet's attacks, hooking one of Jet's blades with his as the brown-haired male growled and tried to trip Zuko.

Jet may be skilled with what he does; but he's predictable and out of his element. Zuko smirked as he jumped and launched one of Jet's weapons across the room--merely missing an arrow that was launched at him as the other two Freedom Fighters hung back.

Jet--caught off-guard--gasped, before Zuko took his shock as an advantage and tackled him. 

The two males grunted as Jet clawed and punched at the banished prince before Zuko slammed him against the floor of the deck, locking the Freedom Fighter in place as the prince pinned his legs to the ground with his own. The Blue Spirit mask long forgotten across the floor, the prince smirked at Jet's shocked expression of realization as he caught his breath.

"Lee." Jet snarled, as Zuko's grip on his tunic tightened and he felt the firebender's breath on his face. "I should've known."

Zuko smirked, "this all you got?" He sneered, "it appears you've lost a few steps since we met."

Jet's infuriated expression never faltered, his split lip twitched as he let out a low growl and went to launch a kick to Zuko's crotch. "You bastard!"

The firebender launched himself out of the way again, grabbing the mask off the ground.

The boat came to a complete stop; they had arrived.

Thank the Spirits.

Without a moment to lose, Zuko threw his hands up as he heard the leaky-barrel finally burst and a whip of water appeared at the prince's disposal. Ducking under one of Smellerbee's attacks, he whipped the trio aside with the water and a quick movement of his hands before bolting off down the hallway.

Jet let out a grunt of shock as he had fallen on his ass, soaked in freezing cold water as he watched the firebender bolt up onto the deck of the ship. He heard the yells of surprised citizens as the prince quickly ran off the boat.

Zuko had escaped yet again.

"Did he just..." Smellerbee exclaimed, dumbstruck as her eyes met her two comrades'. "Did that Ash-Maker just water bend?"

...

Zuko swallowed heavily as he attempted to navigate the city in the daylight. His heart beating fast in his chest as it seemed everywhere he turned there was someone to run into, and he quickly found himself in a confused, dizzy, freezing state of panic.

Ba Sing Se was shockingly different than his home in the fire nation. People were everywhere, all the time. Thieves and homeless civilians lurked in every corner as no-one even seemed to acknowledge his presence or obvious confusion.

Zuko was always secluded from the outside world. Other than the occasional trip to Ember Island, he was to stay in the palace unless instructed to leave. And he was, truely, completely thrown out of his element.

So that's why he decided to wait until night.

He quickly found a small, clean alleyway to stay in for the rest of the day. He settled down against the wall, away from the public as he controlled his breathing and used his firebending to keep himself warm.

Eventually, the sun set in a beautiful range of dark blues and oranges over the gigantic walls as quiet soon settled over the city. People navigated back to their homes peacefully, leaving the streets completely barren and empty as gentle flurries fluttered to the damp stone pathways.

Zuko stepped out of his spot and got to his feet, admiring the tall buildings and the vastly different atmosphere the Earth Kingdom had over the Fire nation. Lanterns lit the streets, zig-zagging down ropes attached to buildings as they flickered down the main roads. The prince quickly found himself feeling a sense of calmness he hadn't felt in years.

A feeling of peace.

But he was getting off-track.

Zuko moved his glove away from his hand to look at the smudged ink of Jin's handwriting across his palm, and he quickly got focused on finding the location scribbled hastily on his hand.

And finally; luck seemed to be on his side that day because before long, he found it.

A water fountain stood in the middle of a small plaza, the water flowing gently over the stone it stood on as Zuko had almost missed it in the dark.

He let out a breath, glancing around for any sign of the girl who insisted he come here before he approached the landmark.

He did say he would meet her here at the break of sunset...

Maybe she went back home.

With a sigh, Zuko scanned the area. Searching for any sign of life in the streets that surrounded him before his gaze settled back on the water. Swirling and sparkling with the light of the lanterns.

Well...a little practice couldn't hurt anybody.

The prince closed his eyes, swallowing heavily as he focused, again, on the water. Carefully, he brought his hands up above his head, and a small, shaky blob of the liquid followed.

He let out a breath, a small smile gracing his lips as he turned the water to a whip. He stayed light on his feet as he brought the water around him, occasionally breaking focus and needing to catch it again mid-air.

But other than that, it seemed to come pretty naturally to him.

He brought it forwards, pushing his arms up as it launched into the sky before tightening his fists as he caught it before it hit the ground. His bending grip became less shaky and more confident the more he worked with it, and he found it, surprisingly, enjoyable.

Maybe being the Avatar wasn't so bad.

"Hey! You!"

The moment was short-lived, however, when he immediately threw the water back into the fountain and whipped around at the booming voice.

Two people dressed in green robes stood at the ens of a road, their faces nearly concealed by some peculiar-looking green hats as they approached Zuko.

"What are you doing out past curfew?" One of them demanded, "all citizens are supposed to be indoors by the time the sun fully sets."

"I..." Zuko froze up, cursing under his breath as his hands tightened into fists and he scrambled for an excuse. "Uh..."

"Lee! There you are!"

He whipped around again to see a familiar girl, smiling as she waved her hands at the agents before her. Jin quickly jogged up to Zuko's side as she put her hands together and bowed to the two strangers. "My apologies...my friend here is a refugee, he just got here earlier today. He just got a little lost its all."

Zuko let out a breath of relief as he bowed an apology as well.

One of the agents huffed, "your friend here should've payed more attention in the orientation. But all right then, you're free to go."

The agents bowed as well before going off on their respective ways, and Zuko let himself relax once again as Jin giggled and took his hand, leading him wuickly down the streets.

After that, Zuko found himself sleeping in an extra room in Jim's house after she insisted he stay a few nights. Though he didn't feel right letting her do so much for him when he couldn't do much in return; he enjoyed her company. A lot, actually.

He considered Jin a good friend.

"I sneak out through the train." Jin explained, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed as Zuko messed with his hair in the small mirror against the wall. "It's all about timing. You just wait for a blind spot when it goes to pick up more refugees...and boom. You've got a one-way ticket right outside the walls of the city."

Zuko hummed, "it sounds like you've been doing this for a while."

"Well, yeah." She sighed, "it just gets so loud, you know? The city, I mean. Things are always happening, people are always stealing and stuff...especially in the lower ring. It's nice to get out somewhere safer every once in a while."

Zuko blinked, his mouth opened as if he was about to say something, but he sighed and shut it again. His gaze traveled to the ground as his head rose to clutch the side of his aching chest.

He would have to tell her, eventually, that she was housing a Fire nation fugitive right under her nose. Even just the thought of explaining everything made his stomach twist.

"Something wrong?"

"No...just..." His eyebrows furrowed and he looked up again. "I have a lot on my mind."

"Not what I meant, but good to know." She gestured to his hand tucked under his armpit, "I meant physically. And don't try and lie to me."

Zuko rolled his eyes. Well, there was no point in lying to her about this, considering there wasn't much she could do about it. "I broke a rib about a month back."

"You...what?" Jin blinked in disbelief as she let her hands fall down to her sides. "You traveled the whole way here from hell knows where with an untreated broken rib?"

Zuko cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "...maybe."

She sighed, rolling her eyes before pushing herself away from the door frame, "lay down, let me look at it."

Well...maybe he should've lied.

Zuko's gaze shifted from Jin, to the bed, before frowning and hesitantly complying. Laying down on the floor with his arms folded over his stomach.

"Without your shirt, moron."

"Wha-what?"

"You heard me." She sat down cross-legged beside him, amusement flashing in her eyes slightly. "Relax...I have two brothers. It's fine, really."

Zuko swallowed heavily, before nodding. He sat up again as he pulled off his coat and unfolded his robes--setting them carefully beside him.

He never really thought he was anything special. Though his ribs were definitely showing more than they originally had against his skin; he still had a good bit of muscle on him. He looked like just about every other teenager his age.

But, well, he also couldn't see the giant, dark, yellowing bruise across the middle of his back. Fading with age but still quite jarring against his pale skin.

Jin didn't say anything. She drew in a breath as her eyes widened, her fingers hesitantly reaching out to gingerly touch the bruise; just barely enough so that her fingers grazed the tender skin. She felt the bumps of his ribs, and the muscles as they seemed to flinch slightly under her touch.

Zuko clutched the blanket beneath him a little as the small interaction had caught him completely off-guard.

Jin seemed to be off in her own world, carefully running her hands up Zuko's muscular back as he subtly leaned into her warm touch. He shivered--never realizing exactly how touch-starved he had become over the years.

Jin pulled away suddenly as she realized what she was doing, and Zuko found himself almost missing the feeling of her hand.

"You're really..." She seemed to catch the words in her mouth before something embarrassing slipped out. "...how in the hell did you manage to not break your spine?" She said instead.

Zuko looked at her, and then quickly averted his gaze again, "I don't know. It's...it's a really long story."

She didn't ask any questions on how he got it, and instead worked silently as she tightly bandaged his chest. A strange tension seemed to fill the air. Not one that was necessarily bad...but certainly one filled with questions that hung heavily in the atmosphere.

Though it was probably too soon, Jin had to ask.

"Hey, Lee?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering...what happened to your face?"

Zuko's eyes danced with slight panic; he knew this was coming. But still, his expression remained blank as Jin worked to tie the bandages off.

"It was burned." He closed his eyes, finding what happened a bit easier to talk about now than a month before. "I spoke out when I wasn't supposed to and my actions had consequences. So I got burned."

"You...spoke out so you got burned?" Jin finished tying the knot and moved to face Zuko. "Lee, that's..."

"Pitiful? I know."

"What? No, Lee, that's awful." She sighed, "you didn't deserve that for messing up one time, you know? You're just a kid."

Just a kid.

Zuko swallowed heavily, clutching the blanket underneath him tightly as he stared off at the wall.

Just a kid.

It wasn't long after that that Jin said her goodnight and left, blowing out the candle that sat beside Zuko's sleeping space as she shot one last worried look at him before closing the door.

The prince stared at the ceiling, his eyes fluttering shut as sleep clawed at his body. Jin's words echoed in the dark abyss of his mind as he turned carefully onto his side.

He turned to stare out the window. Zuko watched the snow fall heavily outside, and the prince realized how much he had missed the warmth of an actual bed as he drifted off to a nightmareless sleep, finally feeling conpletely safe in his new temporary home.

Jin was right.

He was just a kid.


	6. The Jasmine Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Himbo tries to finally assassinate Idiot, but is stopped by Twink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: knives idk
> 
> also tysm for all the support on this story so far!!! ahhh!!! already 100 kudos y'all are too kind <33

Zuko slowly started to get used to the large city as the days passed by. Though most of it was spent sleeping and recovering from the weeks out on his own--Jin also made sure to show him around the different parts of the outer ring. Including her tea shop, which was owned by her mother and worked by her and her two brothers.

"The Jasmine Dragon was opened by my grandfather--a refugee," Jin explained, leading the firebender through a door to the back room of the building where all the supplies were kept. "After my father died; me, my mother, and my two brothers have been keeping it open since."

Though Jin's family was certainly different than what he was used to, they were immediately very accepting of him, saying he could stay until he was able to scrape up enough money to move into his own little apartment.

And though Zuko was very grateful to them--paranoia still clawed at his brain. If someone moved too fast around him, he'd immediately tense into a battle stance. If someone playfully punched him or layed a hand on him in any way, he'd flinch away. If someone laughed at something he did or raised their voice at all, he'd always have to remind himself that they were just joking.

As it turns out, years of only socializing with strict generals, the occasional crew member, sociopathic younger sister, and Fire Nation government officials twice his age didn't do wonders for the social skills.

It was obvious Jin and her family noticed--but, still, they said nothing of it. They were extremely patient and understanding; even if one of the brothers ended up against the wall with a duo sword to his throat because he tried to scare Zuko as a joke. 

Yes--despite everything--Zuko still carried one of his weapons on him at all times.

You could never be too careful.

Jin's mother, Toki, was especially understanding when it came to Zuko's tense and aloof demeanor when it was clear her two sons did not. She was always quick to remind them that Zuko was not from here, and wasn't quite used to the way of life in Ba Sing Se.

"Where did you learn to blend herbs like that?" She asked, the prince having insisted, surprisingly, to make it himself when she invited him to the tea shop to talk. She was otherwise quiet as she watched the younger male work.

Zuko didn't spare her a glance as he set the two cups of boiling tea down on the small table. "My uncle taught me." He answered, quite vaguely. "Though, he's definitely a lot better at it than I am."

Toki hummed in response, folding her hands over the table as Zuko pulled out a chair to sit across from her. His eyes trailed down to her hands--obviously worn with age, but there was something else that drew him to look at them.

Her hand hand was red. The skin looked rough and shiny compared to the other as Zuko blinked in surprise--he hadn't noticed it beforehand.

"I got it during a Fire nation raid years ago," the older woman explained, catching Zuko's attention. Though her narrow eyes flashed with a subtle sadness, she still held a faint smile as she talked and sipped the tea. "Both my parents were killed at the hands of General Iroh when I was only sixteen...I just barely managed to escape and come here, where this pointless war can't reach."

Zuko's heart dropped to his stomach at the sound of his uncle's name. His ship crew had always said it was hard to imagine the same Iroh had been responsible for the death of thousands--even partially the death of his beloved cousin. But above all, the prince felt an almost alien emotion at the thought of someone as patient and caring as Toki being hurt so badly by his people.

Shame.

He dropped his gaze, "I'm sorry to hear that, I know what it's like...to have the people closest to you taken away like that."

"I'm sure you do." Toki hummed, staring at the snowy cityscape out the window as she talked. "I can't even imagine the things you've seen from the fire nation's point of view...it must have been a hard decision to make, leaving everything behind."

Zuko tensed, his hand immediately travelling to where his sword at his side as his frantic gaze snapped back up to meet Toki's. "How--how did you figure it out?"

She smiled, a small giggle leaving her mouth as she shook her head. "It's not hard to once you know the signs. Your hands are rough from working with fire, the pale skin, dark hair, the never letting your guard down...but that's besides the point. What I'm trying to say is you're safe here, Lee. No one will turn you back over to the fire nation. I will, personally, make sure of it."

Relief flooded over Zuko's entire body. He let out a sigh before a small smile spread across his lips. He bowed his head in respect and gratitude, "thank you, Toki. I don't know how I will ever repay you and Jin." He said.

Zuko turned to leave, before he was stopped by the woman again just before he reached the door, "I was thinking...I'm sure the customers would love to try out this peculiar new brew...and if you choose to stay, I would love to give you a job here at the Jasmine Dragon."

Zuko blinked, the smile returned again before he put his hands together and bowed a second time, "I would be honored."

Toki let out a small chuckle, "there's no need for such formalities here. A 'thank you' would do fine...I'm a friend, not a war general."

"Uh...yeah. Sorry." Zuko rubbed the back of his neck before opening the door. "Thank you, Toki. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Lee."

···

"Thank Spirits it's almost sunset." Jin groaned, running her hands through her unruly dark hair to fix her ponytail before setting more water to boil. "Today was entirely too busy, thanks to you and your dickhead-tea."

Zuko snorted, leaning against the counter as he stretched and let out a yawn, "you're just jealous I'm better than you."

"Well, duh. I think we've had more customers these past few days than we have in the past two months combined." She joked, her usual smile covering her features as she crossed her arms.

Zuko hummed, before continuing with his work with washing a few dirty dishes. He could feel Jin's eyes on him as he worked, and he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest as a bit of awkwardness slipped over the pair.

Jin and Zuko had gotten close since he settled down in the city, and to his surprise, that closeness never faltered even when he moved into an apartment down the street. She still visited all the time, and always seemed to appear just when Zuko's thoughts would start to get too loud in the quiet in his apartment. No matter what; he was never lonely for too long. And he was grateful for it.

"When are you two lovebirds gonna stop making goo-goo eyes at eachother and just kiss already?"

Zuko felt a hand ruffle his short hair as a familiar male strutted past, letting out a chuckle as the prince flushed a little, before he rolled his eyes and swatted at the hand on his head. "She's not my girlfriend." He grumbled under his breath.

"Yeah, don't you have some tables to serve, Kai?" Jin sneered, crossing her arms as she turned to face her younger brother. "Mom will be pissed if she finds out you're slacking off again. Get back here!"

"It's actually my break hour, Ms. Perfect," the dark haired male snorted, as he turned to shrug at his sister before pulling his apron off and tossing it to her. "Lee, take over for me, will you? Thanks, I owe you one."

And he shut the door.

"Ugh! Why does he have to be so annoying!" Jin exclaimed, throwing the the apron off of her in slight disgust. "He always does that...sneaking off to hook up with some random girl and leaving the rest of us to do all his dirty work. I'll take his shift, you can head home, Lee."

Zuko shook his head, "no. It's fine, I'll take care of it." He said, setting the cleaning supplies down and turning to take an order of tea out to some customers. "You've been working all day, go home and rest."

Jin sighed as she approached, her hands on her hips as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "you sure? I don't want you to overwork yourself, because you're still recovering and all."

Zuko nodded, smiling slightly, as he backed his way out the door, "I'm sure."

"Wait, actually, Lee..."

He froze again, facing her with a hum.

"Well...I wanted to ask if you wanted to go out tomorrow? Since it's our day off." She asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was hoping to show you around the rest of the city, and maybe go out to eat someplace."

Did she just...?

Words failed Zuko for a moment.

Did he just get asked on a date?

"Uh..." Zuko felt his cheeks flush a little as he cleared his throat, "yeah, that...that would be great."

"Great!" She rushed up and pulled the taller male in for a quick hug before bolting off towards the door again, a smiling mess. "I'll come get you tomorrow at sunrise, alright? Try not to sleep in too late."

"I--"

Jin left before Zuko could get a word in, and he sighed, a small smile crossing his face as he turned to serve the last of the customers for the night.

He was, however, blissfully unaware of the figure in the doorway; glaring inside as Jin left, giggling happily to herself as she passed.

...

Zuko yawned, exhaustion starting to claw at him as he poured a final cup of tea and went to deliver it to the last remaining customer. Deciding to worry about his interaction with Jin later and simply focus on getting orders right, he carefully carried the tea out to the tables.

He sighed as he set the tea down, not caring enough to even glance at the customer, as per usual, he dusted his hands on his apron and began to walk away.

"Well, well, well...it appears we meet again."

Zuko tensed immediately, whipping around just as the male grabbed the front of his apron. The prince let out a breath as he was face-to-face with Jet--his brown eyes sparkling with anger. "I thought I'd find you here."

The prince snarled, "Jet."

"Lee."

"Come for a rematch?" 

"I guess you could say that." Jet sneered, a cocky smirk spreading across his face as his hold on Zuko's shirt tightened. "Gotta watch out, though. Wouldn't want anyone here to know what you are, would you?"

"You underestimate me if you think I even need my bending to beat you."

"We'll see about that." 

Jet stood up straighter, pulling Zuko around and throwing him against the wall. The prince grunted at the pain that ensued in his chest as a chair and some cups clattered to the floor. People gasped as their attention was turned to the two fighting boys.

Zuko knew if he were to throw the first attack, he'd be reported to the Dai Li. So instead he caught the first punch Jet threw at him, forcing the male backwards before tripping him so that he was forced to the ground.

Jet landed on the floor with a thud as Zuko's hold on his wrist tightened, he pulled Jet's arm into an uncomfortable position at his back before the male immediately swung around to the side.

Zuko flinched backwards with a gasp as his nose barely nicked the glint of the knife Jet held. And the prince launched himself backwards again as Jet swung multiple times.

"He's got a knife!"

"What's going on?!"

"Someone call the Dai Li!"

The panicked yells of the people around him filled Zuko's ears as he was eventually pinned to the wall. Jet's knife came at him as the prince finally pulled out his duo sword--effectively blocking the blow of the knife as the metal rang uncomfortably in his ears.

But Jet was persistent.

His smirk melted into a sickly determined scowl as he quickly slid the knife over Zuko's sword and flung it across the room with a crash.

The prince's expression filled with horror as Jet's nails dug into his wrists that were pinned to the wall as well as his legs. Knife pressed painfully close to his throat as his heart rate escalated in his chest.

He was stuck.

"Everyone listen up!" He turned as he yelled to the crowd.

Zuko sucked in a breath as his mouth went dry.

No no no.

"this man is a firebender! He's a fire nation spy here to destroy the city from the inside out!"

"Jet! You're delusional!" 

Another teenager, a male dressed in blue robes and a warrior's wolf tail stood to his feet from another table. "You can't just go around threatening people with no proof, man. Stop it now before you get yourself arrested!"

"But I do have proof!" Jet argued, "he attacked my people and stole from me just a few weeks ago! He's the Blue Spirit!"

"He's an innocent tea maker, Jet." The boy shouted, stomping towards the both of them. "Put the knife down before I do it for you."

Still, Jet didn't budge as Zuko felt the warmth of blood start to drip down his neck. In a moment of panic, the prince clenched his wrists together as a subtle sizzle emitted from his wrists.

Jet yet out a yelp as he yanked his burned hands away and Zuko quickly launched a kick to the other male's stomach--sending him backwards against the ground just as a customer ran back in with the Dai Li on his tail.

The prince took a few breaths, his hands shaking with adrenaline as he leaned back against the wall. Holy shit. Holy shit shit shit.

Jet slowly came back to his senses as the Dai Li were quick to pull him to his feet; thrashing and cursing as he did all he could to resist arrest, "no no no! Wait! I'm not lying! He's a firebender I'm telling you! The Avatar has turned against us!"

Zuko watched as Jet was handcuffed and pulled out of the building, glaring daggers at Zuko in a way that made his stomach turn. For a moment, he thought he might be sick, but he kept his composure and pushed himself upright, casually wiping the blood from his neck.

The prince's mind seemed to be in a haze as Dai Li agents were everywhere, talking with everyone they could as they tried to get a grasp on what happened. Zuko must've been interviewed six times before they were satisfied. 

Toki, Jin, Kai and his brother Wei all eventually showed up. Zuko was shocked to be nearly tackled in a hug by all of them--and he hesitantly returned it. His heart warmed as he wondered what the hell he did in order for these people he just met to care for him so much.

But he wasn't complaining.

At all.

"Fuck...those Dai Li are creepy." 

Zuko jumped as he turned to be met with no-one other than the Wolf tail Boy from earlier. He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke, "sorry about all that, by the way, I swear...that dude Jet has absolutely lost it."

Zuko let out an exasperated sigh, facing the direction he saw the agents take Jet, "Tell me about it."

The teenager grinned, before sticking his hand out to the prince, "I'm Sokka, by the way. Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko hesitantly shook his hand, "uh...Lee. Nice to meet you." He replied, recoiling in embarrassment as he soon realized he shook Sokka's hand with his bloody one. "Thanks for distracting him earlier...being stabbed to death in a tea shop would've really been a bad way to die." He joked. 

Aokka snorted, "oh, totally."

"How do you know Jet, if you don't mind me asking?"

The teenager yawned as he stretched his arms up above him. "Me and my group ran into him a few months back...same thing happened. We told him we didn't want to flood a village being overtaken by some Ash-Makers and he went apeshit. Dude's got issues."

"Yeah..." Zuko stared off into the alleyway again, frowning to himself, "...issues."

A moment of awkwardness passed as Sokka hummed and tapped his foot against the ground. Zuko scrambled for something else to say to fill the silence.

"Well..." The firebender mused, rubbing the back of his neck, "I have to go explain to the shopkeepers what happened...I'll see you around?"

"Yup," The Water Tribe native nodded, "that tea was fantastic, I'll make sure to being my friends the next time I swing by."

Zuko stopped himself mid-bow and instead nodded, "that'd be great." He waved as he stepped off to join Jin and her family across the road, "I see you then."

Sokka stared after Zuko as he walked off, biting the side of his cheek in thought.

That scar...

Why did it look so familiar?


	7. Avatar Roku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> avatar idiot has wacky dream

Zuko's eyes blinked open to find himself floating.

Well...not really floating. He was standing on something, that was for sure. But the complete darkness that surrounded him begged to differ. He swallowed heavily as his gaze sweeped the strange, empty place, and he quickly found that he was frozen to where he stood.

His heart beat picked up in his chest as he struggled to move. Where the hell was he?

"There is nothing to fear, Prince Zuko."

Suddenly finding his mobility again, the prince whipped around only to be met face-to-face with an older man. Clad in high-ranking fire nation robes as he made the prince stumble backwards in surprise.

But he knew he had seen this man before.

Something about his face seemed vaguely familiar to him as the prince squinted, searching his memory before he was able to put a name to the man before him.

"Roku." Zuko muttered. 

The very second the name left his mouth; he knew what was happening. His mother had told him stories of his great grandfather being the next Fire nation Avatar at the very begining of the war. Raised amongst the prince and given an almost normal life as the Fire Nation planned to use him as a weapon to finally eliminate Ba Sing Se.

Azula was quick to convince him those stories were fake after his mother's disappearance, though. Just a myth used to convince Zuko he was on the wrong side of the war, and turn him against his father.

The prince wondered jusy how many Avatars had been executed at birth since Roku's demise.

"That's right." The man nodded, "it's good to see you, my great grandson. I could only imagine what all is going through your head at this time."

Zuko blinked, anger beginning to blossom in his chest as his hands clenched into fists.

"Why me?" The questions flew out of his mouth before he had a chance to think them over. "Why did I, of all people, have to be the Avatar? Did father know this whole time? Did he set me up on purpose?" Zuko's voice cracked as he clenched the sides of his head, "I don't want to be the Avatar! I don't want to be the prince! Why--why couldn't I just be a normal person?!"

Roku sighed slightly, "I know this might be a lot for you, Zuko. I understand that--"

"No! No you don't!" Zuko snapped, beginning to pace the void-like room as his heart thudded a million miles per hour. "You had a purpose! A mission! You knew exactly what you had to do the second they told you who you were. I-I don't even know why I exist! I can't go back home, I can barely bend any elements yet, there's barely any past Avatars able to teach m--"

"You're wrong."

Zuko looked up to meet his ancestor's gaze again, "what?"

Roku's face was stern, but his eyes flashed with understanding at Zuko's anger, "I do know how it feels. I turned against the only friend I've ever had, my home, my family, the second I learned of the Fire nation's true plans."

Zuko's arms slowly dropped to his sides, and he looked up to his great grandfather, "my mother told me you killed Fire Lord Sozin."

"Your mother is correct." Roku's voice was sullen, "I did what I had to do to protect the world from descending into complete chaos. I gave it a fighting chance of survival...and that chance is you, Zuko." Roku's hand rested on his grandson's shoulder, "I know you've seen what damage your father and his ancestors have done to the world. He's not spreading peace...he's spreading pointless war and destruction."

Zuko bowed his head and closed his eyes, "I can't save the world." He mumbled dejectedly, his face scrunching up as he willed the tears not to start forming. "I'm too much of a coward."

"I know you can do it, son." Roku encouraged, his voice level and strong. "Just as it was my destiny to defeat your other Great Grandfather...it's your destiny to meet up with your masters and end Ozai's reign once and for all."

"But where would I find an airbending teacher?" The prince asked, looking up to meet Roku's gaze once again. "How do I know if that master is the one destined to teach me?"

A small smile crept onto Roku's face as he shook his head, "you won't need to go too far to look for him..." He explained, before turning the younger prince to face someone behind him.

A boy stood behind Zuko, his head completely shaved as a peculiar arrow tattoo stretched over his head and pointed downwards to his nose. He was young, way younger than the prince had expected as his grey, blank eyes stared right back into Zuko's.

"The last airbender, Aang, is in Ba Sing Se looking for you."

Zuko blinked, gazing at the boy before him in shock before he swallowed heavily and turned to face Roku once more, "If I chose not to do this...to stay hiding her instead of killing my father..." He said carefully, "what might happen?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Zuko turned to face the Airbender, Aang, once more. The decision weighing heavily in his mind as millions of 'what ifs' bounced around in his skull. 

Facing his father could mean imminent death for him, he thought for sure he wasn't strong enough.

But if he didn't try, millions of innocent people would surely perish in this war.

He wished he had someone, anyone, to talk to. Someone to help him see which decision was the best one for him and the world.

But above all,

He wished his uncle were here.

"Yes." Zuko said, "I do."

···

Jin yawned as she migrated down the stairs and to the bottom floor of her small, outer-ring house. Her brothers and mother already at the Jasmine Dragon for their shifts--she was delighted by the fact that she wouldn't be bothered while seeing Zuko.

The boy was strange, that was for sure.

Everyone knew he had a complicated past, they didn't need to ask him anything to know that. But Jin couldn't help but wonder where exactly he was from.

After all, surely, there was no way he was Earth Kingdom.

Jin had never seen someone with such vibrant, golden eyes before. Much less how unusually pale his skin was and his raven-colored short hair.

She spent that night thinking about what everyone kept saying during the fiasco the night before with that boy Jet. What had he said Zuko was?

Fire Nation?

Even if Zuko was Fire Nation, how in the world would someone like that end up as a thief in the heart of the Earth Kingdom?

Nevertheless, she shoved her questions into the back of her mind for later. Whoever Zuko used to be didn't matter, Jin could tell he had changed with the past month or so he had spent in the city.

Butterflies filled her stomach as she approached Zuko's apartment on the second floor of the small building. She knew the prince had a habit of oversleeping, so she didn't exactly think much of it whenever he didn't answer to her knocking the first time.

"Lee?" She called, quietly, knocking gently against the wood of the door. "You awake?"

Jin frowned.

Usually, whenever she would knock on his door to remind him to go to work, he'd bolt upright immediately. Sometimes he'd trip and curse loudly, earning a laugh from the girl.

He was hilariously clumsy for someone so aloof and sarcastic.

But to hear nothing on the other side of the wood this time, however, was worrying to say the least.

Jin took a breath to calm her anxious thoughts as she quietly turned the doorknob and peaked into the small apartment. 

The space was small, but otherwise clean. A few of Zuko's belongings littered the quite bare room; still with a severe lack of furniture as he was still trying to gather enough money for it. The girl took note of the all-too-familiar Blue Spirit mask sitting on a table.

It was silent and dark as Jin quietly walked inside, eyeing the spot on the ground where Zuko and her would usually hang out; asking him all sorts of questions about nothing and everything despite the fact that he answered them all quite vaguely.

"Lee?" She called out again, her voice echoing slightly in the barren apartment as she stopped dead in her tracks at Zuko's cracked open bedroom door.

The boy sat in his small sleeping space, shirtless and his black, short hair tangled in his hands. If Jin didn't know any better she'd say he'd fallen asleep in that position, but his shaking body begged to differ. The yellowing bruise on his back was still quite prominent against his skin; but it had faded a lot within the past month.

"Lee! There you are..." Jin sighed, letting herself in as she sat down on the edge of the small bed. Gently, she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, "did something happen?"

He finally looked up--the deep bags under his golden eyes had returned after weeks of them gone, "Jin," he murmured, lowering his hands so that they were crossed over his chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Checking on you, obviously." She suggested a smile, "what's wrong, you feeling okay? Or...is this about what happened last night?"

"I'm leaving." Zuko stated bluntly breaking eye contact, "I don't want to endanger your family any more by staying here."

Jin's heart sunk in her chest, "Lee..." She sighed, moving her hand to cup his face, "what do you mean?"

"It means thank you for everything. Your family took me in when no one else would. But I'm afraid this is where we have to part ways."

Jin sighed, looking down as she dropped her hand back down to her lap, "it's because you're fire nation, isn't it?"

Zuko almost seemed to flinch at that statement, before he dismissed it. "Sort-of...yes." He rubbed his arms, "there's someone important that I need to find."

"Then let me come with you." Jin suggested, her eyes sparkling in the low light, "I can help! I know the ins and outs of this city and--"

"Jin." Zuko's kept his voice low as he comfortingly grabbed her wrists to get her to make eye contact with him, his eyes were serious, but held sadness in them, too. "Please don't make this harder than it already is."

Jin dropped her gaze dejectedly, "...I" she frowned deeply, blinking away the tears that threatened to form as she took a breath. "I guess this is goodbye, then?"

Zuko nodded, "Yeah...I guess it is."

"Can I...can I do something first?"

The prince stayed silent, a bit confused as he stared into Jin's ivy green eyes. The sun was just starting to rise over the cityscape, casting light into the room and across the departing teenagers as Zuko soon found that his fingers were intertwined with Jin's.

The girl leaned in slowly, and Zuko's eyes closed as his heart beat a little faster in his chest.

Jin kissed the prince sweetly, the moment seemed to stretch on for hours as her lips connected with his and warmth seemed to spread through his whole body. 

He took in a breath of surprise, but he didn't kiss back. But he didn't back away either.

Before he knew it, the moment was gone, and Jin reluctantly pulled away.

"Stay safe for me, all right?" She smiled a little, beautiful smile as she spoke softly, "I'll miss you, Lee."

"My name's Zuko, actually." He smiled back this time, giving Jin's hand a tight squeeze as she looked up at him with surprise. "Avatar Zuko."


	8. The Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fire Nation sucks major ass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAHAHDHFHDHDHDHDHDB
> 
> sorry about the massive amount of typos in the last chapture!!! I accidentally posted it unedited + I'm just an idiot woops. It's all fixed now if y'all wanna reread it!

Life in Ba Sing Se was quiet after that.

Zuko soon disappeared, leaving no trace of his past existence in their small part of the city. All of his belongings in the tea shop as well as in the apartment vanishing literally over night. 

The rest of Jin's family was disappointed that the stranger had left so suddenly--and due to Zuko's request it broke her heart a little to not be able to tell them why.

It was for the best, though.

For Zuko's own safety.

She could've sworn she caught glimpses of him all the time, however.

At night whenever she couldn't sleep she'd open her bedroom window to gaze up at the stars, the city silent aside from a few crickets and animals skittering about the streets. It was quite a few times that she'd see a figure lurking on the building next to her; silhouetted against the dark blue sky.

His face would turn to meet her's for a split second, the white circles of his mask shining slightly in the moon light before he'd disappear again over the building. Jin could never get a chance to yell out to him, so there was a possibility it could just be a dream.

But a huge part of her wished it wasn't.

Her eyes blinked open that morning to the sound of voices across the hallway. The sunlight from her window lay beautifully across her bedspace as she groaned and rolled over. It was Wei shouting--which likely meant her brothers were just fighting again.

Until another, deeper male voice could be heard. Muffled from behind Jin's door.

As if that simple voice was some sort of alarm--she sat upright.

What?

Did her mom have a visitor?

She quickly threw her blankets aside--changing out of her sleepwear before pulling her hair up into it's usual sloppy ponytail.

Hesitantly--the young teenager cracked open her door to listen to the conversation in the other room.

"Who do you think you are? Barging into our house like this!"

"I am not leaving until I get who I came for." Another, older male voice cut in, ignoring Jin's brother. "I know you're hiding him here; tell me or you will be arrested and this city will be burnt to the ground. Hand him over, and I'll leave peacefully."

Jin's breath hitched in her chest as she stepped out of the room and migrated her way down the hall to peak out into the main room.

Two unfamiliar looking men stood just within the door of her house. One was middle-aged--clad in red and black armor as well as his companion, a much older and shorter man with graying hair. They both stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the Dai Li agents surrounding them, and were certainly not from this nation.

Jin felt her stomach twist as the taller of the two men looked up to meet her gaze.

Her nails dug into the wood of the door frame.

"I'm afraid you and The Great Dragon of the West need to leave immediately." Toki ordered, her arms crossed as Jin had never heard her voice that angry before. "We have no knowledge of any Prince Zuko, and even if we did we'd never talk to the likes of you." 

The Dragon of the West...

Jin stifled a gasp as her eyes traveled to the older man stationed beside the taller general. She remembered how fondly Zuko would talk of his beloved uncle, how he had a complicated past and left everything behind in order to help his nephew.

Jin remembered the regret that laced Zuko's tone everytime he talked of Iroh.

"Wait." Jin stepped out from around the corner, earning everyone's attention in the room. She nodded to Iroh, who held a bit of a shocked expression before nodding back at her in mutual understanding. "I know him."

"Have you lost your mind?" Kai said through gritted teeth, "if there were any fire nation fugitives--much less a banished prince--passing through this shop I think I'd know about it."

"I found Zuko in the woods, injured and with nowhere to go before the cold months rolled in." She avoided her family's shocked eyes as she was speaking directly to Iroh, "he's okay. It only took a few weeks for him to recover, and he's probably miles away from Ba Sing Se by now."

Iroh visibly sighed, his whole composure relaxing just ever-so-slightly as he bowed a small 'thank you' to Jin--who turned her attention back to the peeved-looking general. "That's all we know. Leave."

"Not so fast, little girl." He gave a sickly-determined smirk, "I'm afraid we've already confronted the Earth King with the help of the great Fire Princess Azula--we'll have search parties and guards in every inch of the city starting as early as tomorrow. Though you are telling the truth...we'll gave guards stationed to watch your every move starting tonight."

"Oh, spirits..." Toki covered her face with her hands, "they've overthrown the Earth King."

With a low growl and a swift movement, Kai had sprinted forwards and tried to launch a fist in the general's face; only to get promptly captured and dragged aside by multiple Dai Li agents. "You sick bastards! You can't do this!" He yelled, thrashing before being thrown to the ground--knocking over a table as well as a vase in the process.

Jin quickly rushed to his aid with a shocked, "Kai!" Kneeling down to inspect the new cuts across his arms.

"The fire nation thanks you for your service." The General sneered, leaving the family in the room full of Dai Li agents and fire nation soldiers alike as he turned to exit the small house. His golden eyes flashed with an unsettling amount of pride.

Iroh followed as well, sparing the family one last sorrowful glance before following his comrade outside and gently shutting the door.

Jin stared after them in horror as a silence fell over the room. Toki and Wei pulled her and Kai into a tight hug as Toki weeped silently and Jin pulled her injured brother close.

She prayed to whatever spirits were listening that Zuko would do the right thing.

···

"Hey! Get back here!"

Zuko bolted out of the small shop in the blink of an eye; his feet sliding in the snow that collected over the pitch black streets as he felt the shopkeeper at his heels.

He cursed under his breath, upset that he had messed up and made his presence known while attempting to find somewhere to sleep away from the cold.

That was close.

Too close.

The prince ran until he lost the shopkeeper in the winding alleyways of the city, darkness surrounding him as Zuko slowed to a walk. The freezing air burned his lungs as he caught his breath and basked in the lonely quiet.

It had been a few days since he left Jin, and Zuko, and in a weird way, missed the adrenaline rush that came with constantly being on the run.

But he missed having having the company more.

His search for the Airbender was still quite hopeless--he must have been around the entire outer ring twice and still, no sign of him. But he wouldn't lose hope. He was to stubborn to lose hope.

The prince let out a breath as the cold winter air burned his lungs, and he sat down on the edge of a roof he had climbed up onto. His feet dangled over the edge as he listened to the silence of the city. The sun set beautifully over the distant wall of Ba Sing Se.

That is, until a cold hand was pressed to his mouth as he was dragged backwards away from the roof; earning a gasp from the prince as he swung around and thrashed in his captor's arms.

"Quiet! They're looking for me." An oddly familiar voice whispered, as Zuko finally shoved the man away from him. The prince stumbled backwards, drawing his sword before he squinted at the other male who cowered on the ground.

"Sokka?"

Sokka lifted a finger to his mouth, waving his other hand frantically before scrambling to the edge of the roof and looking down into the alleyway.

Confused, Zuko followed suit, gazing down into the abyss to spot a gold glow just down the alleyway.

Five Fire nation soldiers marched down the dirt streets, torches lit as they silently searched the area. Zuko tensed.

Oh no.

"The fire nation found us. They took my sister and the friend we're travelling with." Sokka explained, ducking back against the roof as Zuko stayed--wide-eyed as he watched the soldiers pass. "I managed to escape just in time but I don't know where they're keeping them I--"

"Woah, woah...back up a bit." The prince interrupted, turning to face the panicking Water Tribesmen. "What the hell did you do to be wanted by the Fire Nation militia?"

"I..." Sokka rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed. "It's a long-ass story...but we're kinda travelling with the last Airbender in order to find the Avatar? I don't know how, but...they found us."

Zuko's heart skipped a beat in his chest.

Well...that was easy.

He turned back to eye the guards as the leader barked orders at the others. 

"Are you a bender, by any chance?"

"No," Sokka answered, a hit dejectedly, "but I can sword fight...sort-of."

"Good." Zuko pulled out one of his duo swords, standing up to his full height as he pressed the sword to the other's chest. "Got a plan?"

"No way..." Sokka finally clicked the pieces together as his gaze shifted from Zuko's mask, to the sword in his hands, "you're...you're the Blue Spirit?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "no. I'm just dressing up as him. Of course I'm the Blue Spirit."

Sokka reverted his gaze, a bit embarrassed before he shifted his attention back to the guards, "Right, right...sorry. Give me a minute." He whispered, his gaze becoming focused for a moment before he spoke again. "Think we could take a hostage?"

"Probably." Zuko answered, scanning the group of soldiers, "that one guy in the back looks pretty inexperienced. We could take him on. I have rope to tie him up with."

"Right." Sokka nodded. "And if shit goes south...?"

"At least we'll find their camp, then." Zuko swallowed heavily. Sure, he'd snuck into Fire Nation territory a few times during his travels; but never did he ever think he'd end up kidnapping his own militia.

Well...he better get used to it if he was going to be the Avatar.

"Ready when you are." Sokka's voice tore him from his thoughts as Zuko slid his mask back down over his face.

"Ready."

Immediately, Zuko launched himself off the roof--landing silently to the side of the alleyway as Sokka followed a little less gracefully. They crept up behind the guards as Sokka waited patiently for his new-found acquaintance to give a signal.

The guard they were focused on became uneasy, glancing behind him at every chance he got and keeping his hand on the weapon at his side.

Just wait for him to turn and...

Now!

Zuko waved to Sokka before jumping out and clasping a hand over the soldier's mouth. The prince dragged the flailing firebender down into the dark of the alleyway before the others even had a chance to notice.

"W-wait! No! I-I'll do anything! Take my money! Just don't kill me!" 

The prince frowned at the guard's immediate begging as he dragged him to an abandoned lamppost and Sokka quickly tied him up.

"Good." Zuko growled lowly, pressing hid duo sword to the young soldier's throat as he glared into his eyes, "then listen closely...we're looking for some friends that your people captured. The airbender and the waterbender?"

The soldier swallowed heavily, backing as far against the wooden post as he possibly could, "I-I have strict orders to not give out that information."

"Really?" Zuko spread his other hand summoning a flame at his palm as he lifted the stranger's head with the sword and brought the fire closer--so it was just barely licking at the bottom of his chin. "How about now?"

"Fine! General Zhao has a camp just outside the outer wall of the city! H-he's keeping both of them there!"

Zuko smirked, stifling the fire at his hand before turning to meet Sokka's gaze, "see? Easy. I know a way out of this place, we just need to wait until the sun ri--"

"You're an Ash-Maker."

Zuko blinked, a sudden realization hitting him like a boulder as his heart sunk in his chest.

Really?

Two months of getting used to hiding his bending and he slips up now?! Spirits above, he was awful at this.

"Sokka, wait, let me explain--"

Sokka backed up, dropping the sword with a clang as his face was laced with nothing but pure betrayal.

And he ran off.


	9. Princess Azula

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> idiot meets up with bitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM ALIVE AHH
> 
> sorry y'all, school just started back up for me and since it's (unfortunately) still online where I live, I've been hella stressed trying to figure everything out. Updates may slow down a little, but I'll try and keep them as consistent as possible!
> 
> Also I'm thinking about making a poll or something on what ship should be endgame, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments :00 (which I love reading btw, I may not reply much but y'all are so sweet <33)

It was weird to think about how just a few months ago Zuko was on his warship with his uncle and crew; sailing all over the world while looking for even the slightest clue of the Avatar's existence.

That just a couple years ago he was back at the Fire nation palace, his only worries being whether or not Azula would bother him and his birthright rule to the nation one day.

And in a matter of months, any chance of that had been thrown out the window and set on fire.

The prince took a breath, gazing at the fire nation base before him that was huddled right up against the wall of Ba Sing Se. Soldiers and Dai Li alike swarmed everywhere in the dark of the impending heavy snow.

His encounter with Sokka just a few hours earlier sat heavily in the back of his mind as he very much knew that would come back to hit him in the ass later. Spirits, how could he end up screwing up that badly? Why was he so painfully bad at doing the right thing?!

And it had to be to the friend of his Airbending teacher, too.

Ugh.

The fire nation camp was big; smoke bellowed from fires everywhere as people scrambled about, filling the air with the nostalgic scent of smoke Zuko had not smelt in years. Tents and other quick shelters from the mid-winter weather were everywhere.

It felt like he was home again.

Well, minus the snow and the tents.

Of course, it was smart of whoever was in charge to keep the main base out of Ba Sing Se--this particular one must have been fifty years old. He wondered how the hell they knew to look for him here of all places...

His heart dropped to his stomach as he let out a shaky breath. His nails dug into the bark of the tree he was hiding in as he stared out at the biggest shelter beyond the hastily set up wooden walls.

Iroh must have told them he was there.

Zuko shook the angry, betrayed thoughts from his head. He had a plan in place. Getting hopelessly depressed wouldn't solve anything right now.

All he had to do was get in that main building.

That was where the Airbender was being kept, surely.

The prince took a deep breath, before backtracking deeper into the woods and around the walls of the camp. Silently, he scaled the wooden wall and landed gracefully on the inside.

He took in a breath as he scanned his surroundings, hiding behind an unoccupied tent as he scanned the area for any way he could be caught.

"I've never seen this much snow in one place before. People are saying we're supposed to get more storms within the next few weeks, too."

"Uh huh. Sure. I'll believe it when I see it."

Zuko looked over at the voices, spotting two fully-armored Fire nation soldiers approaching as he ducked behind the tent once more. He spotted something on the one officer's belt--something that shined gold in the light of the snow.

A key!

Quickly--he glanced around--making sure nobody would see him before he crept off towards the two soldiers, staying light on his feet as he dashed past and managed to snag the keys with his fingers.

"Did you hear that?" The first man spoke, "it sounded like someone just bolted behind us."

Zuko held his breath as he pressed himself more against the wood wall.

The man with the keys was silent for a minute, before he barked a laugh. "Sure, right. With all the guards we have stationed to look for Prince Zuko? I doubt it."

The prince held back a sigh of relief, before his heart jumped in his chest.

He had not a second to lose.

With a clear shot from where he stood to the main building; he made a run for it. Taking cover in the blinding snow as he bolted across the opening and to the door.

Finally...

This was it.

Zuko couldn't hold back a bit of a relieved smile as he took the doorknob in his hand and turned it; noiselessly slipping inside the small building as he gazed around.

A boy sat facing away from Zuko, slumped against the wall as if he had been there for days. The Airbender didn't even care to turn and face him. 

A moment of silence passed as the prince stood there, unsure of what to say or if he should speak at all.

Remembering what had happened with Sokka the night before, it would probably be better if he kept his identity a secret.

Roku wasn't wrong, though.

The second Zuko's gaze met the faded arrow atop the strange boy's head it was like something clicked in his mind--and he knew Aang was supposed to be his teacher.

Aang was, undoubtedly, the person who was supposed to teach him.

The prince swallowed heavily, before he snapped back to his senses and stepped forwards.

Aang jumped to his feet with a gust of air; and Zuko yelped as he was flung backwards and thrown against the wall of the building before collapsing onto the floor.

Footsteps echoed as the door swung open with a deafening bang! And the Airbender sprinted off.

Zuko groaned, the pain in his skull and chest subsiding as he pushed himself back up to his feet and immediately sprinted after the airbender.

His chase was cut short, however.

The prince was knocked forwards as a body slammed into him; sending him forwards into the freezing snow as the breath was--once again--knocked from his lungs.

Zuko turned quickly, bringing his foot upwards as he used his hands to push himself to his feet; and launched a wave of fire out at the middle-aged who tackled him.

Zhao was quick, leaping backwards before sending a burning flame towards Zuko to return the favor--which was quickly dodged as the prince turned on his heel and sprinted away.

The angry yells and footsteps of soldiers filled the air as Zuko could hear his heartbeat in his ears. Snow nipped at his face as it continued to fall harder in the darkened sky.

He turned a corner, and--

A slow, sarcastic clapping sound echoed through the silent side of the Fire nation camp. One that got louder and closer as Zuko's grip on his swords tightened and the cold air stung in his lungs.

"Well..." A voice cut through the silence as the clapping slowed to a stop and a young girl stepped into view, slightly shorter than Zuko as her golden eyes burned with a sickening amount of prideful contempt. "Spirits above. It seems my dead-beat brother has returned from his little temper tantrum."

Anger burned in Zuko's chest.

Of course.

Why was he even surprised?

"Azula." He hissed.

"Zuko." She spat back as she crossed her arms, "come to collect your little Airbending master I see?"

"It was a trap." The prince's hold on his swords tightened as he assumed a battle position, "you led me here to--"

"You're getting ahead of yourself as per usual." Azula examined her cat-like nails as she frowned and looked back at her brother. "I'm not here to fight, I'm here to talk."

Zuko stayed silent, his breathing annoying against his mask as he heard soldiers collect behind him in the cover of the snow. They were surrounding him.

Fear nipped at his insides as his gaze snapped back up to meet his sister. She was relaxed, and right then she showed no signs of attacking him.

Zuko let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine." He decided, throwing his swords to the ground and shoving the Blue Spirit mask further up onto his head. "Talk, then."

A venomous smile spread across Azula's features, "Father wants to propose a deal with you." She explained carefully, "he says he wants me to take you back home to the Fire nation."

And just like that, all Zuko's common sense was stomped on and thrown out the window. His heart seemed to skip a beat in his chest as his eyebrows furrowed together.

His father...

Wanted him back home?

"You could be trained by some of the most elite fighters the Fire nation has captured. You would be unstoppable, Zuko. Granting the Fire nation the power of the Avatar state would mean that we could finish this war once and for all. You'll be a hero, brother."

The prince screwed his eyes shut.

He thought of Jin and her family; all the kindness they had shown him during his time in Ba Sing Se. He thought of his uncle, who would surely be happy of his return...

Right?

They would understand, right?

They would understand that he needed this more than anything. He had spent more than three years trying to earn back his honor and his right to the throne.

His hand traveled up as his fingertips met the charred skin of his face.

His father did love him.

Ozai loved him.

Still, the words seemed to be lodged in Zuko's throat. His fists tightened and untightened. Pros and cons clouded his judgement like a thick fog over a forest.

"I..." 

He swallowed heavily.

They would understand.

They would all understand.

"You're welcome to stay a few days and think it over, if you like." Azula added with a shrug. "It's not like you have much of a choice." 


	10. Prison Bars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just the idiot being an idiot

He should be happy.

Zuko sat in his tent, head in his hands as he stared at the floor and tapped his foot. The late night cold nipped annoyingly at his hands and face, but still, he didn't have it in him to grab the blankets strewn haphazardly across the bed.

He was doing the right thing.

Sure, Roku may have thought otherwise, but what does he know? Just because he was the only other Avatar to live past sixteen in the past one hundred years doesn't mean he knew what the world was like now.

Zuko sighed, closing his eyes to try and dull the migraine nipping at his skull. 

So why did he feel so...

wrong?

Why did the aching feeling of dread in his chest never falter even when he heard his father wanted him home?

Why was he still terrified constantly?

Why didn't he feel happy?

It'll feel better when he got home. 

Once he stepped foot into the familiar palace walls where he spent most of his childhood--running around and without any worries--he would be fine again.

He would finally feel like himself again.

Azula assured him that he had nothing more to worry about. That siding with the Fire nation would ensure his safety as he mastered the elements; that he didn't need to feel this way anymore.

And a part of him wanted to believe her.

Zuko let out a frustrated growl, falling backwards onto the makeshift bed space as he stared up at the ceiling. He frowned deeply as he watched his breath fog up into the winter air steadily.

He needed his uncle.

He had asked where Iroh was a day before--because of how bad he wanted to apologize. The guilt he carried from abandoning his crew and family on that ship with the power of the Avatar state was suffocating.

"Your uncle left a good few days ago." General Zhao mentioned off-handedly whilst on a boarder patrol with the prince, his tone angry but also weirdly unbothered. "He had set out to find you himself after he questioned Princess Azula's plans to her face. In a way...he was banished as well. He's a worthless traitor."

Well, Zuko supposed it always took one to know one.

"Aren't you freezing?"

A voice cut through the silence--a hauntingly familiar monotone sound that made Zuko's heart jump as his eyes blinked open again, and he turned to face the girl who had peeked into his tent.

He sat up instantly, "Mai."

The raven-haired girl--Mai--had her arms crossed as she stood in the doorway of the tent, and she stepped inside carefully. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Almost four years." Zuko stood up to his full height, running forwards to meet his childhood friend. "Why are you here?"

She hummed, her smile faltering to her usual neutral expression, "you know why I'm here."

Zuko's face flushed a little, "oh," he cleared his throat and averted his gaze, "...about that..."

Mai was one of the closest things Zuko could have considered a friend throughout most of his life. With her father being a mayor and her uncle a prison warden--she was raised alongside Zuko, Azula, and her friend Ty Lee in the royal palace. Though Mai and Zuko both were often the victim of Azula's and sometimes Ty Lee's cruel jokes, some could argue that only drew them closer.

Zuko could remember, vividly, the last time he saw Mai before the Agni Kai that would change his life forever.

"Do you really want to do this?" The prince heard the girl ask as she stood in the doorway of his chambers while Zuko paced the barren floors of his bedroom. He remembered the actual worry that dripped in her tone, which was usually monotone and flat. Her eyes flashed with frustration and fear, "you're stupid if you think you're going to win this fight, Zuko."

"What choice do I have?" The tween boy snorted. Though he wouldn't show it, his hands were shaking with fear as he fumbled with his top-not in the mirror. "It's just some lazy old general. I may never be as good as Azula but that doesn't mean I can't fight for myself. It's not like I'm going to be fighting father himself or anything."

Mai had sighed as she pushed herself away from the doorway and walked over. "You still don't do it right." She said, before pulling Zuko's hands away. The prince stayed still as the girl ran her hands gently through his long hair, and he felt his heart rate slow down to normal with her presence as she pulled it up and twirled the red band around it.

Then she turned Zuko's head to look back at her worried golden eyes, "just...promise me you'll be okay. It would be boring as hell here without you, you know."

Zuko's breath hitched in his throat a little at Mai's touch. He was supposed to be out in the ring in only a few short minutes--he had to do it soon. His hand rested gently over Mai's as he pulled it away to interlock his fingers with her's. He looked down.

"Mai, I..." He looked back up to meet her gaze, his heart beat fast in his chest for a moment as he looked into her angular golden eyes. "Whatever happens..."

Zuko trailed off for a moment again. He kept telling himself that he could win this fight, that he would finally prove himself to his father that he could be just as good as Azula.

But deep down he knew that wouldn't be the case.

Before he even realized what he was doing, he leaned forwards and smashed his lips against Mai's. The girl let out a gasp, but before she could process anything Zuko had already sprinted down the hall to his impending doom.

That was the last he had ever seen of her before meeting her inside that tent. 

Mai rolled her eyes slightly, an amused smile crossing her face, "Azula and Ty Lee told me to come here and tell you that a ship will come to pick you up in four days time."

Relief pulled at Zuko's chest.

So...it seemed Mai was dreading talking about that incident as much as he was.

But, still; that didn't mean rejection didn't sting like a bitch.

"Is that it?" Zuko prompted, "you're not going to..."

"No. I'm not." Mai concluded, "it's been three years, Zuko. A lot can change in a person in that time. You can't expect me to fall for you all over again right away after you left me like that."

Zuko sighed, she had a point. She didn't know who he had become after this much time and he didn't know who she'd become, either.

So...she did like him back.

At one point, at least.

Well, it was certainly nice to hear some decent news for once.

So much had happened, though, that the feeling he once got when Mai was around was gone. Those butterflies from before were nowhere to be felt.

She was right. A lot had changed.

He looked down again. "You're right."

Mai hummed, nodding slightly before turning to walk out the same way she came in, "get some sleep, Zuko. We have a lot of catching up to do in the morning."

And she left.

That morning, Azula gave him a tour of the camp. He met back up with people he had not seen since his banishment and he felt he had, finally, regained his power as the future fire lord.

People finally looked up to him again.

Feared him, even.

Even so, he felt a pressure in his chest he couldn't quite pinpoint. A growing heaviness on his shoulders that made it hard to sleep at night and hard to get up in the morning. A festering anger at everyone around him that seemed to spring up from almost nowhere.

He tried not to show it, but it was quite clear everyone noticed the more time passed.

He was doing the right thing.

Jin, her family, Iroh, and hell even Jet would all understand. They would all know once he got back to the fire nation.

He was helping to keep them safe.

It was these thoughts that prompted him to sit up in bed one night, his feet seeming to move on their own as he rubbed his freezing arms and pushed himself upright. Quickly slipping into warmer clothes before stepping out into the Earth Kingdom snow.

The camp was silent.

A few groups of guards moved silently around the walls--quiet and only outlined in the dark by the torches they carried. Zuko held up his hand and lit his own makeshift torch as the warm flame danced around his cold hand.

He turned and walked towards the biggest building in the center, swallowing heavily as he approached.

A warm glow emitted from the doorway as a guard immediately caught Zuko's eye. For a moment, his heart jumped in his chest, but he regained his composure almost immediately.

"Prince Zuko." A familiar, older voice caught his attention as he approached the entrance to the building. "A little late to be out on a walk, don't you think?"

"General Zhao." Zuko's eyes narrowed. Of course Azula assigned him as her guard, what did he expect? "I need to speak with my sister alone."

He simply hummed in response, not moving a muscle as his usual prideful smirk crossed his face, "your sister has been trying to get a word out of the airbender and his little Southern Water tribe friend for about an hour now. She's not to have any visitors tonight; especially not you."

Zuko let out a growl, anger already starting to swell in his chest at the newly-promoted general's snideness, "as your Prince, I order you to step aside."

"Just because you've spent a few days without incident here doesn't mean your past actions have been forgiven and forgotten." The General leaned down to Zuko's height as his orange eyes flashed with contempt, "after all...you're still just a spoiled, homeless, rejected Prince with no honor to his name. No wonder that Earth Kingdom peasant family took pity on you."

Zuko's fists shot backwards from his sides in a flash of orange light as his rage melted the snow at his feet, "I have more honor than you ever will you sick bastard!"

"That's enough, both of you."

Azula's voice cut through the growing chaos as Zhao and Zuko's gaze both snapped over to meet Azula's. She stepped out from the building as her expression remained neutral and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"General Zhao, stand down. Go back and take the watch at the towers tonight. There will be no further arguments about this." Azula's burning gaze switched to Zuko's. "If my brother wants to talk to the Airbender; let him."

"But Princess--"

"We have guards stationed at every corner of this camp. Even if Zuko was planning to take the Airbender and run...he wouldn't make it. My brother may be foolish, but he isn't stupid." Azula stared the prince down as a smirk crossed her face. "He knows he won't make it out of here on his own."

Zuko clenched his fists, "Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning." The princess frowned again, her gaze lingering on Zuko for a few more moments before she turned and continued to walk away. "I'm off to bed. See you in the morning, brother."

Zhao's shocked gaze switched from Azula, to Zuko, and back to Azula, before he let out a frustrated fiery sigh and stomped off.

Leaving Zuko to hesitantly enter the building without issue.

It was dark; only a single torch was propped flickering up against the stone wall as the wind howled against the small structure's exterior.

Aang sat just as Zuko had seen him before; slouched shackled against the wall. Except this time he was also behind bars. 

He hesitated, just like before. His hands clenching into fists before he took a breath and sat down across from the small cell. Zuko crossed his legs against the freezing floor as a few moments of silence passed.

A suffocating, deadly silence.

"It's weird, you know." He started, frowning as he stared at the ground. "For so long I thought my destiny would be easy to accomplish. That all I had to do was follow in my father's footsteps and stay obedient and that I would face my destiny before I knew it."

Aang still didn't move a muscle.

"A few months ago when I realized I was the Avatar, I..." A sigh left his mouth as he closed his eyes. "I'm so confused. I don't even know why I came here to talk to you of all people. I guess I...thought you would understand, to at least some degree."

Aang shifted a little this time, his bald head turning just the smallest bit in Zuko's direction.

The prince swallowed heavily, before leaning forwards in a sort-of bow, "I need you to teach me Airbending." He finally said, "the Fire Nation isn't as bad as people think. The rest of the nations are just confused on the Fire Nation's true motives. I will personally make sure that you and your friends are taken care of at the palace while you teach me."

Aang let out a breath this time, his head turning back to fully face the wall.

"Well?" Zuko pressed, looking up again, "say something."

Still, only silence endured.

The prince growled, his hands sizzling with heat as he grabbed at the prison bars, "answer me damn it!"

"You really don't understand what they're doing, do you?" Aang finally said, his boyish voice still strong and determined as he shifted to completely face the wall. "You're confused."

"You have no idea what your talking about." Zuko's voice cracked his time as he seethed, "I'm not the one that's confused here."

Aang sighed again, finally turning fully to meet Zuko's fuming gaze. "You aren't happy."

Zuko froze.

"No matter how much you try and convince yourself that you are, deep down you know this isn't what you're meant to be. This isn't your destiny. You're just as much as a prisoner as I am in this camp; they only want you as a weapon. Why can't you see that?"

Zuko's heart lurched in his chest.

He was right.

And it infuriated him.

"It's your destiny to teach me."

"And for what?" Aang snapped, turning fully around to meet Zuko's gaze, "so your people will finally be in power? So more whole cultures and civilizations could be wiped from existence? So more innocent families could be torn apart?"

Zuko stayed silent.

"I know there's a part of you that knows I'm right, Zuko." Aang reasoned, the anger from moments ago melting away from his expression. "You did abandon your kingdom for a reason, after all."

The prince bit his tongue. No, that wasn't the reason at all.

He had spent years fighting and clawing for what he was going to get in a few days. He didn't spend full nights screaming into his pillow and bolting awake from nightmares and fighting off tropical storms just to get reprimanded by a twelve-year-old.

His father sent him away to learn exactly everything Zuko owed the Fire Nation. Whether his parents had always known of his power or not; he owed his life to his father.

After all, his sister was born lucky. He was lucky to be born.

He pushed himself to his feet, all the rage from before melting into a cold-hard emptiness. "Typical." He spat. "Leave it to an Airbender to run away from his destiny."

He slammed the door on his way out.


	11. Scarlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all!! Again sorry for the wait in between chapters, I'll try and update this at least once a week from here on out  
> Also I forgot to mention this when I first posted it but this chapter is vv much inspired by the movie Princess Mononoke :0
> 
> TW: guns, electrocution wowie

"So much has changed."

The words hung in the air like a suffocatingly thick fog in the silent darkness of the Fire Nation camp. The breeze that shifted snow around and whistled against the wood barriers blew the dark hair away from Zuko's face as he stood atop a watch tower. Staring out over the mountains.

Mai squeezed his hand next to him. She had noticed his disappearance from his tent earlier that day, and though she hated to admit it, she was a little concerned. The hotheaded, stubborn, migraine-inducing little prince she came to know and love had completely changed. He grew up. 

His thoughtful glare over the snow-covered hills of the earth kingdom never faltered as he watched the sun set in a red flare over the mountain, his grip on the wooden railing tightened as an aggravated sigh left his lips.

"Just wait until you see the palace." Mai agreed, leaning her head on his shoulder as she averted her gaze to stare over the sunset. A small smile crossed her lips; content to be back beside him after all these years. "Your father's changed almost everything. It's kind-of weird."

Zuko tensed a little again, his heart sunk in his chest.

Aang's words had stabbed deep into his chest like a knife. They constantly replayed in his mind as the prince had spent hours in his tent; pacing and thinking and cursing and sighing.

He made a mistake agreeing to stay here.

This wasn't his destiny.

This wasn't him.

"Something's on your mind." Mai's voice, once again, clawed him out of his thoughts as her warm hand met his cheek. He felt her thumb graze over his scar as she moved his head to make eye contact with him. Her eyes were worried. "That's why you came up here, isn't it?"

His gaze met the ground again. Well, at least some things stayed the same. Mai still found him painfully easy to read, and that fact alone almost broke his heart more than the words he said after that.

"I can't stay."

"I thought so." Mai's hand dropped to his shoulder as it was her turn to break eye contact. "Your destiny doesn't lie here."

"No, of course it does." Zuko retorted, "it's just...not in the way everyone here thinks. The throne is still my birthright. Being the Avatar doesn't change that, things just aren't supposed to happen this way."

Mai sighed, leaning against the frozen railing as she rubbed her chilly arms. Another gust of wind rode past as some fluffy snowflakes started to fall; filling the silence.

"So what you're saying is...you have to take the Airbender and leave?" She asked, "will you be back?"

"Of course." Zuko smiled a little, "I do have family here, after all. Azula will understand with time that what I'm doing is for the good of the nation."

"Wait, Zuko."

Zuko looked over, confused at the sudden change of tone as Mai's gaze was locked across camp. The prince squinted at it, confused.

A distant 'boom' cut through the silence like a knife.

"The hell is that?" He muttered.

"It sounds like there's trouble."

Zuko swallowed heavily, his heart beat fast in his chest as dark smoke rose up to the blackening, snowy sky.

A bright pillar of blue flames lit up the sky as it leaned to the side and then dissipated again; followed by a gust of snow and more red fire.

"It's Azula." Zuko swiftly turned to the latter. Lowering himself quickly as he slid down to the ground before Mai could get a word in. "Quickly! Find Ty Lee and meet me over there."

"Zuko, wait!"

The prince stopped in his tracks, turning to the high-ranking ravenette as she leaned over the balcony. Her orange eyes flashed with panic as her red robes flowed in the wind, "be careful, alright?"

He swallowed heavily, nodded, and then ran off to join the fight.

And it was far worse than he thought.

The prince slid to a holt, the freezing air stinging his lungs as his gaze searched frantically around the frenzy of Fire nation soldiers.

The building holding the prisoners was in shambles. Pillars of ice stuck out of it in every which way. Unconscious, frozen, and sometimes bleeding soldiers lay all around the building.

The air was thick with bending smoke.

This was a disaster.

"What's going on?!"

"The prisoners escaped!" A nearby soldier answered Zuko, "it all happened so fast...Azula promised an award for whoever finds them first!"

Of course.

Azula was getting desperate.

Zuko clenched his jaw, scanning the area for any smudge of blue or orange in the swirling snowstorm. Quickly, the prince climbed a nearby wagon and launched himself up onto the building to get a better view.

"There she is!"

"It's the waterbender!"

Before Zuko even had a chance to catch his breath, he was launched aside as something had whacked him from behind--sending the prince tumbling across the roof. He yelped, pain spreading through the base of his skull as he tried to push himself back up to his feet.

A boot pushed firmly onto his back as Zuko found himself immobilized.

"Not one more move, water tribe scum!"

"She's got the Prince!"

"Someone call Azula back, we found the girl!"

Zuko grunted as the stranger got a hold of his hair and yanked it back, before the cold hard edge of a knife could be felt at his jugular. 

"Don't pull anything and I won't end your precious life." The unknown girl whispered, her voice overflowing with venom and pure rage, "what did you do with Aang?"

"Wait--" Zuko seethed as the water tribe girl's grip on his hair tightened, "I'm on your side! I'm a friend."

"Answer the question."

"I-I don't know, damn it! I'm trying to find him too!"

An ear-shattering blast rang out in the snow as the Water tribe girl let out a gasp. Zuko took this as an advantage and whipped around; effectively tripping the girl before he stumbled backwards off the roof. He hit the ground with a grunt as the ringing in his ears subsided.

What the hell was that blast?

He scrambled to his feet again, wind whipping snow and ice into his eyes as he caught sight of the girl running back along the roofs of the small camp buildings. 

He watched her, scrambling to his feet before he caught sight of what exactly caused that noise.

Azula stood in the clearing of the camp in full Fire Nation regalia, standing at attention between two high-ranking generals as they held two of the most strange looking weapons the prince had ever seen on their shoulders.

Zuko blinked--squinting through the blizzard weather before his heart stopped in his chest.

Whatever those new weapons were....

they were aimed at Aang.

Said airbender had positioned himself atop a roof not far away--his gaze unafraid and unwavering as he stared back down at Azula and the panicking crowd went dead silent.

Everyone was unsure of what the princess was about to do with the smoldering weapons as everyone waited for one of them to speak.

"It's over for you, Aang." Azula sneered, her gaze wild with insanity as she held the weapon closely. "These are prototypes manufactured by the Fire Nation's finest inventors. They're called Murata Rifles, it's sure to make it easier for non-benders to engage in combat. All it takes is for one bullet to hit an unlucky space and it's immediate death."

"I won't fight you, Azula." Aang concluded, his head held high. "I will do exactly what my people did one-hundred years ago when your ancestors slaughtered them all. I will go down with honor, as the last Airbender alive."

"No!" Zuko suddenly found his voice as he climbed atop the roof again and faced Aang, yelling as far as his voice would carry himself. "Aang you must not throw away your destiny like this! Do you want the world to be thrown out of balance?"

"Stay out of this, brother!" Azula held her hand up as she hissed at Zuko. "Must you need reminding of why you should stop intervening where you are not needed?"

"I am needed!" Zuko growled, before his gaze turned to all the soldiers around him, "don't you all see? You're not spreading peace! You're spreading endless death and destruction against people who can't fight back! You're bullies! Every single one of you! But we can stop this right now!"

"I'm getting bored of this little monologue of your's, Zuko." Azula hissed, before her trademark sadistic smirk crossed her face. "Let's just get this over with. Fire."

Another ear-splitting explosion emitted from the weapons as everything happened in a flash and Zuko's yelling was dampened by the ringing in his own ears. Aang gasped and lept up into the air as Azula adjusted her leg and raised her arm.

Zuko's eyes widened, "no!"

Just as he saw sparks emit from her fingers, he sprinted forwards. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he stumbled in the heightening snow--running past all kinds of soldiers and officers.

Without thinking he rushed forwards and tackled his sister as the young girl grunted and her head hit the ground. The crowd gasped as Zuko immediately lept back to his feet.

Panic flashed in Aang's eyes as the prince used a brilliantly precise kick to knock the airbender out of the air and across the snow. Not enough to hurt him long-term, but certainly enough to put him unconscious.

Zuko's heart hammered a million miles an hour in his chest, his limbs shook with exertion as wind whipped at his freezing figure.

That was close.

Too close.

"You traitorous bastard."

Zuko whipped back around at the sound of his sister's voice to see the disheveled girl glaring at him with the force of a thousand suns. Her usually perfect hair was entangled with chunks of snow and ice along with her clothes.

Her arms shivered with pure rage as she pointed a finger right at Zuko.

But the prince tensed.

Silence filled the air as nobody dared to move a muscle.

Zuko looked away, finding it strange how calm he was as he pushed himself, fully, to his feet.

He faced his unhinged sister.

The sister he once looked up to and strived to be just like in his childhood despite being the older sibling. The sister who was once his best friend. The sister he would play tag, explore, and spar with was now several feet away from him. Pointing a rifle directly at him. With the intent of shooting it.

His calm gaze never faltered as he began to speak, "you won't kill me."

"I knew it! This was your plan all along, wasn't it, brother?" She snarled, "to infiltrate my camp and steal the Airbender and his precious little lady friend all on your own. You're not winning this, Zu-Zu. We outnumber you tenfold."

Zuko's gaze sweeped the hundreds of soldiers' gazes. He could tell his words from earlier touched some of them as they all muttered under their breath and exchanged glances with eachother.

He got his point across.

His work here was done.

His gaze met General Zhao's, who was fuming as he held one of the rifle's up. 

"I'm leaving." Zuko announced, "and I'm not coming back. You won't see me until I've mastered the elements and finally defeat my father."

"Oh, no you're not!" Zhao growled, reloading his own weapon before pointing it at the teenager, "obey the Princess's orders or be obliterated!"

Zuko stayed silent. His heart hammered in his chest. Was he really doing this?

Turning his back on his home, his family, everything he had ever known?

For real this time?

He took a breath.

Turned.

And began to walk away.

Soldiers parted as he walked past--scrambling out of the way as he walked towards the unconscious airbender.

A building tension filled the air just as Zuko leaned down to collect Aang out of the snow. His hand barely grazed the airbender's clothes before--

"Azula, don't!"

Electricity crackled in the air as Zuko felt an overwelming pain crackle through his entire body. The prince stumbled forward--colapsing into the snow with a pain-filled yell as he curlled up into the fetal position. Every little movement hurt--from every beat of his heart to every movement of his lungs. 

He forced his tear-filled eyes open as his vision blurred in and out of focus.

No no no. There was no way this was how it was going to end.

People stared on in complete shocked silence--nobody dared to move a muscle as all their eyes were trained on the Avatar in writhe complete agony.

Recollecting his barrings and gathering up all the strength he could muster, the prince swallowed heavily as he forced his shaking limbs to move. His hand clenched his aching chest as he pushed himself uprjght with the other and forced himself onto his knees. 

And then his right leg.

And, finally, his left.

He pulled the unconscious boy up onto his shoulders and held his breath, running on pure adrenaline as he didn't spare Azula even one final look before he began to walk away.

Nobody blinked as they watched the crowned prince leave everything with the last airbender draped over his shoulders, dragging his feet and just barely making it along.

Mai was too late. She held a hand up to stop Ty Lee as she caught sight of the prince treading past in the blinding snow, slumped over with the Airbending prisoner laying across his back. Her mouth opened as she was about to ask him what happened...but that was useless.

Whatever happened had already finished.

Her heart was stuck in her throat as she was dead silent. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of General Zhao ans the completely disheveled and unhinged-looking princess.

"What happened?" The girl demanded, "what the hell did you do with him?"

"He's gone." Zhao looked ultimately dumbstruck as his gaze was fixated on something far off in the snow.

"What do you mean gone?!"

"What I mean is that damn bastard got shot by lightning and ran off with the Avatar." Zhao growled, seeming to regain his barrings and scan his crowd of soldiers, "he's done for...there's no way anyone could survive like that in this weather."

Done for.

The words made Mai's throat tighten and her eyes widen as Ty Lee rested a hand on her shoulder.

Done for.


End file.
